The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has reported that an unknown amount of diesel fuel has spilled into Poor Farm Creek near Storm Lake, a tributary of the Raccoon River. The spill, which was discovered Tuesday morning, is believed to have occurred at some point Monday evening and originated from the One Stop Shop in Storm Lake. The tanks and lines at that facility were tested and were not leaking. The source of the spill remains under investigation, however, authorities believe it likely occurred from the overfilling of a vehicle or a similar incident. The City of Storm Lake has put out booms to recover as much fuel as possible, but high flow and turbulence in the stream limited the amount recovered. It is unknown how far the fuel had moved downstream by the time this was reported to authorities. As the investigation continues, the Iowa DNR is monitoring clean-up activities and is considering appropriate enforcement.
