DNR Investigating Fish Kill at Little Maquoketa River Near Peosta

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources is investigating a fish kill at the Little Maquoketa River in Dubuque County near Peosta.

On Thursday, the DNR Field Office in Manchester was notified of a possible manure release and fish kill in an unnamed tributary of the Little Maquoketa River, north of Peosta.  

DNR staff from the Manchester Field Office responded to the incident. Upon arriving, staff saw dead fish and murky conditions in the tributary. 

Officials identified manure runoff from an animal feeding operation near the unnamed tributary as the source of the release. The amount of manure released is unknown at this time. 

Cleanup efforts have begun. The responsible party has been notified, and has started working to control the manure runoff. The incident remains under investigation.

The DNR says downstream water users should avoid using water from the Little Maquoketa River at this time.

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.