WEST BEND—DNR responded this afternoon to a manure spill in Lotts Creek, about two miles northeast of West Bend.
Precision Pumping, a commercial manure application company, was land applying manure through an umbilical rig when a hose came off the pump. The hose flopped into the creek and an estimated 10,000 gallons of manure spilled into the creek before the applicator could shut down the pump.
DNR found a large number of dead and dying fish in the creek. Staff expect the fish kill to be ongoing as the slug of manure moves downstream. High banks, a wide channel and swift flow make recovering the manure impractical.
Lotts Creek flows into the East Fork of the Des Moines River about 10 miles downstream of the spill. While not insignificant, the spill is not expected to impact downstream water supplies
DNR fisheries staff will be onsite Thursday to count dead fish. DNR environmental specialists collected water samples for testing and will return Thursday to monitor the situation.
DNR will consider appropriate enforcement action.