ANKENY, Iowa - The Iowa Department of Natural Resources says 800 gallons of spoiled milk that was dumped into a storm drain outside an Ankeny Hy-Vee is currently flowing into Fourmile Creek.
A news release from the DNR says officers responded to Fourmile Creek in Ankeny Wednesday morning to investigate reports of water turning white and fish struggling near the surface. The DNR was able to trace the source of the problem to the storm drain outside the Hy-Vee on N. Ankeny Boulevard. According to the DNR, the store dumped the gallons of spoiled milk after it lost power for 19 hours during the derecho storm that knocked out power across large parts of the state.
The DNR says no dead fish have been found yet, but says the milk will use up oxygen and could suffocate wildlife in the water as bacteria breaks the milk down. The DNR is working to slow or stop the flow of the contaminated water, possibly creating dams to contain the water, then using vacuums to remove it.
The DNR says it is monitoring the situation and is ready to take appropriate action.