MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Iowa — 1,500 tons of fertilizer have been released into a western Iowa river.
According to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR), New Cooperative, an agricultural company in Montgomery County, informed the Iowa DNR of the release on-site Monday morning.
1,500 tons of liquid nitrogen fertilizer, 32% solution, was discharged into a drainage ditch in Red Oak, Iowa, before making its way into the East Nishnabotna River. The river is a tributary of the Missouri River.
According to the DNR, the spill happened due to a valve left open overnight on an aboveground storage tank. Dead fish have been observed in the East Nishnabotna River as a result of the release. The extent of the fish kill is unknown.
DNR field staff are on-site collecting samples and analyzing them. An investigation is underway.
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