YARMOUTH – Environmental specialists and fisheries biologists from the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) are on the scene of another fish kill Wednesday in Des Moines County.
A fish kill near the headwaters of Big Creek about a mile west of Yarmouth includes several species of dead and stressed fish including catfish, bullheads, bass, suckers and creek chubs. Dead fish had been observed about a half mile downstream by late Wednesday morning, but it is expected that the fish kill will extend further downstream.
The latest fish kill in Big Creek follows one investigated late last week and earlier this week on Cedar Fork Creek approximately five miles to the east near Mediapolis. Approximately 7.3 miles of Cedar Fork Creek was affected resulted in more than 53,500 fish being killed at a value of $8,349.92. . Minnows, darters, madtoms, green sunfish, gizzard shad, suckers, and bullheads were most affected. Smallmouth bass was the game fish species observed most frequently.
It is believed that both fish kills were caused by aerial spraying of nearby crop fields and investigation is continuing to determine the responsible parties.