Officials with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Wednesday, said a cattle feedlot owner reported to authorities a leaking runoff holding basin. Lee Schon found the leak Wednesday morning, at the base of the basin’s bank located about six-miles southeast of Carroll. Schon quickly tried to repair the leak, but the DNR says the seepage will likely continue until the soil drys out enough to fix the basin.

The feedlot runoff was flowing about 400-feet across a field into an unnamed tributary of the Middle Raccoon River. A DNR field specialist took samples of the discharge, and is working with Schon to minimize the effects, downstream. Early indications from field test results and high stream flows are that there will likely be little impact to aquatic organisms.

Schon plans to land apply runoff remaining in the basin to a nearby pasture, when soil conditions permit, and the DNR says it will continue to monitor the situation and work with Schon to ensure permanent repairs are completed.