Iowa Dairy Fined $38K for March 2025 Manure Spill Killing Over 126,000 Fish
AMMONIA
A dairy in Winneshiek County, Iowa, will pay over $38,000 to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources for a March 2025 manure spill that killed 126,469 fish. The spill, caused by snow melt and a broken waterline, resulted in elevated ammonia levels in a tributary of Dry Run Creek.
The dairy operator, Dale Humpal, is required to pay $33,000 for fish kill restitution and investigative costs, plus a $5,000 administrative fee by September 2027. Humpal has been previously fined for similar incidents in 2023 and 2017. He must also maintain a grass waterway to prevent future runoff.

Feb 11, 2026, 6:10 AM