SCHLESWIG—About 6:30 p.m. Thursday, a transport company reported a fertilizer spill about three miles southwest of Schleswig. DNR received three other calls about the incident.
Kelly Garrett, owner of KSX Transportation, reported the spill occurred about 4:30 p.m. after a tanker became stuck on a gravel road. About 4,000 gallons of a plant fertilizer ran into a tributary of the East Soldier River.
KSX employees dammed and pumped the creek to prevent the fertilizer from moving downstream. They removed about 4,500 gallons of fertilizer and water Thursday evening. The mix of low levels of phosphorus, sulfur, potassium and nitrogen is used as a soil conditioner.
DNR staff inspected the site this morning and noted no visual sign of the product in the creek or on creek banks. Field tests showed normal pH levels and no ammonia levels in the water. There were no dead fish.
The DNR inspector said Garrett’s prompt action removing fertilizer from the creek helped prevent more serious water quality problems or a fish kill.
DNR will monitor the site and consider any appropriate enforcement action.