TIPPECANOE CO. – IDEM advises the public to stay out of the waters around Flint Creek in Tippecanoe County after discovering a large fish kill.
Sunday afternoon, IDEM Emergency Response was dispatched to a report of a significant number of dead fish in West Point, Ind., after notification from conservation officers with the Indiana Department of Natural Resources.
The IDEM On-Scene Coordinator (OSC) noticed the fish kill stretching approximately 10 miles starting in a tributary to Flint Run in the 7700 700 West Flint Run connects to Flint Creek, where dead fish were also observed. Flint Creek flows into the Wabash River, which is being evaluated for immediate impacts.
Elevated levels of ammonia nitrogen were detected at the initial site. The OSC determined the source to be a leak from a large (30,000-gallon capacity) tank at the nearby Scott Miller Farm containing liquid nitrogen fertilizer. IDEM has contacted the property owner, who has implemented containment measures to stop the fertilizer leak.
IDEM and DNR will monitor the area and are recommending that the general public and animals stay out of the tributary to Flint Run and Flint Creek while mitigation efforts are ongoing.
IDEM will continue to monitor the situation, and compliance staff will thoroughly investigate the cause of this incident.
