May 20, 2025
MADISON, Wis. – In press release that was incredibly similar to one that was released almost exactly one year ago, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) said they are responding to a manure spill in Monroe County that occurred over the weekend.
The DNR statement says they were first notified of the spill on Saturday, May 17, via a call to the DNR’s Violation Hotline. The exact location of the spill was not release and an estimate of the amount of manure discharged is not currently available.
The DNR statements says the spill resulted in degraded water quality in Spring Valley Creek, Moore Creek and the Kickapoo, with fish kills observed in Spring Valley and Moore creeks. The number and species of fish killed has not yet been determined.
The spill originated southwest of Norwalk and continues moving down through the watershed. At this time, the DNR believes the spill was caused by rainfall washing manure off cropland where it had been applied earlier.
The DNR is actively assessing opportunities for cleanup or mitigation.
More information on manure spills and manure spill prevention is available on the DNR’s Manure Spills webpage.
Below is our article from almost exactly one year ago about another spill that happened in the same watershed, but is in a slightly different location, and with a different cause.
Previous story from May 21, 2024
DNR monitoring manure spill near Village of Norwalk, Monroe County
MADISON, Wis. – The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is responding to a manure spill that occurred at a dairy farm in Monroe County last week. Spill response continued throughout the week, and DNR staff continue to monitor the situation.
At this time, the DNR believes the spill was caused by mechanical failure at the farmstead. The spill resulted in degraded water quality and a fish kill in Moore Creek and in an adjacent tributary. The spill originated east of Norwalk, Wis. and south of State Highway 71. An accurate estimate of the amount of manure lost isn’t available at this time.
Agencies were first notified of the spill by an observant angler fishing in Moore Creek. Information on manure spills and manure spill prevention is available at dnr.wisconsin.gov.
DNR staff, Monroe County officials and the farm are working to identify both short- and long-term mechanisms to prevent additional manure runoff from reaching local waterways.
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