DES MOINES – The Iowa Department of Natural Resources was notified of a fish kill on January 25 at McLoud Run Trout Stream in Cedar Rapids.
On January 23, the city of Cedar Rapids reported an estimated release of 450,000 gallons of chlorinated drinking water from an unoccupied building located at 4425 Center Point Road NE, which eventually entered McLoud Run. City officials believe the release was caused by a fire suppression line that may have burst during the recent cold snap, but were unaware of any pressure loss.
DNR staff from the Fisheries Bureau are investigating the fish kill, but have been hampered by very murky stream conditions. Staff have observed between 200-300 dead fish as of this morning, including trout and white suckers.
McLoud Run is Iowa’s most southerly trout stream and the only trout stream near a major urban area. Several popular fish species in this stream include Brown Trout, Creek Chub, Rainbow Trout, Green Sunfish and White Sucker.
The dead fish count should be finalized by the end of the week.
If you see dead or stressed fish at a lake or river, call the DNR’s 24-hour spill line at 515-725-8694 as soon as possible. Quick reporting can help DNR staff identify the cause of a fish kill and potentially stop a fish kill in progress.