The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) reports runoff from a nearby manure application made its way into Storm Lake Wednesday afternoon. The agency dispatched staff to investigate after they received a complaint and traced the runoff to Don Jackson’s Pike Farms cattle feedlot in the 900 block of 630th Street, about one-half mile southwest of South Cove Park. The department found elevated levels of ammonia near the shore of South Cove but were unable to confirm if a fish kill occurred because of ice on the lake. Jackson told the DNR he had been land applying dry manure in the days prior to the complaint, including during the rainfall on Wednesday. Jackson was ordered to stop applying manure until conditions become more favorable. The DNR will conduct a follow up and consider appropriate enforcement action. Field offices are responding to multiple calls for technical assistance, and livestock producers are asked to contact the DNR to discuss their options before a violation or runoff occurs. Contact information can be found included with this story on our website.
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Field Office 1 – NE Iowa
Manchester, Iowa
P: 563-927-2640
Field Office 2 – NC Iowa
Mason City, Iowa
P: 641-424-4073
Field Office 3 – NW Iowa
Spencer, Iowa
P: 712-262-4177
Field Office 4 – SW Iowa
Atlantic, Iowa
P: 712-243-1934
Field Office 5 – SC Iowa
Des Moines, Iowa
P: 515-725-0268
Field Office 6 – SE Iowa
Washington, Iowa
P: 319-653-2135
