East Nishnabotna Fish Kill Updates

This post was originally published on July 11, 2025, and was updated on July 24 and July 30, 2025.

In March 2024, a massive fertilizer spill in Red Oak caused significant ecological damage to the East Nishnabotna River, impacting more than 60 miles downstream and killing at least 800,000 fish of 20+ species. We wrote about it at the time here. 

Map of affected area. Source: Nishnabotna Fertilizer Spill NRDAR Preassessment Screen and Determination

Since then, state and federal agencies have been working together to determine the severity of the spill's impacts on the river and restore aquatic wildlife. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Missouri Department of Natural Resources, Nebraska Department of Environment & Energy, and U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service are the designated natural resource Trustees for this spill. The Trustees initiated a natural resource damage assessment and restoration (NRDAR) to evaluate the impact of the spill on natural resources and ultimately to restore the injured resources.

"Based on the damage assessment, the Trustees will seek compensation from NEW Cooperative Inc. for activities to restore or replace natural resources injured by the fertilizer spill."

(Source: USFWS Nishnabotna Fertilizer Spill Natural Resource Damage Assessment and Restoration Preassessment Screen & Determination)

USFWS' Nishnabotna Fertilizer Spill Natural Resource Damage Assessment & Restoration: 1 Year Later flyer explains the NRDAR process:

The Trustees began Pre-Assessment Activities in March 2024, and then initiated a NRDAR for the Nishnabotna River in November 2024 .The NRDAR process generally follows these steps:

Source: U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service - Nishnabotna Fertilizer Spill Natural Resource Damage Assessment and Restoration 1 Year Later

When the Trustees reach step 5, they go through a process known as restoration planning to develop a Restoration Plan:

Source: U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service - Nishnabotna Fertilizer Spill Natural Resource Damage Assessment and Restoration 1 Year Later

On July 30, 2025, the Iowa Attorney General's office announced a settlement had been reached: "Under the settlement, NEW Co-op will pay a $50,000 penalty, pay $50,000 toward a supplemental environmental project with the Montgomery County Conservation Board, and agree to a three-year statewide injunction prohibiting future violations of Iowa’s water-quality laws."

Additionally, Iowa DNR's Contaminated Sites Section is involved with this spill. Per DNR staff: "sometimes when a release is reported, and after the emergency is stabilized, the field office will transfer the site to the DNR's Contaminated Sites Section. In turn, the Contaminated Sites Section will determine whether additional assessment is required in response to the release. In this case, the Contaminated Sites Section did require a site assessment be conducted and submitted to the DNR. The enforcement case is related to the release itself and any violations related to the release. The site assessment is to address potential contamination related to the release and work through any remedial action needed.  
 
The DNR's OpenText website is a database that can be searched for public records. Within the database, you will find the DNR's Contaminated Sites Section request for a work plan to complete a site assessment, the work plan, the site assessment, and further documentation. 

You can find important documents about this spill on the USFWS NRDAR website.

As the coordinator of the East Nishnabotna River Watershed Coalition, Golden Hills will share any additional updates as they become publicly available. We look forward to working collaboratively to help restore the East Nish's water quality and habitat. 

For questions related to the Nishnabotna Fertilizer Spill, contact U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Midwest Region 3 at the info below:
​
Edward Karecki
Illinois and Iowa Field Office
847-366-2349 / [email protected]

or

Leslie Lueckenhoff
Missouri Field Office
Phone: 573/234 2132
Email: [email protected]

East Nishnabotna River. photo by Lance Brisbois