MDC Requesting Volunteer Help For Animal Sighting Along Nishnabotna River

The Missouri Department of Conservation and the Missouri Stream Team are asking volunteer help in reporting animal sightings along the Nishnabotna River after a massive fish kill resulting from a fertilizer spill in Iowa.

The fertilizer spill took place in early March and included a fish kill of 40,000 and 16 species. Rainfall also moved the fertilizer from the Nishnabotna River into the Missouri River. There the immediate fish kill ended.

The Department of Conservation says it is unclear how much of the liquid nitrogen fertilizer is stored in the river sediment, and it could result in another fish kill if the fertilizer is still stored in river sentiment and releases when the weather warms up.

The Nishnobotna River is a Missouri River tributary that is located in the extreme northwest part of Missouri.

Volunteers are urged to report sightings of fish and wildlife, notably alive turtles, by submitting a report to the Nishnabotna River Observation Survey online at http://short.mdc.mo.gov/46E. Reports can be submitted through Oct. 1. Additionally, participants can email pictures or videos of their sightings to [email protected].