A Crawford County farmer has entered into an agreement with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) after an illegal discharge into Willow Creek. According to the Administrative Consent Order filed by the DNR, Harold Chapman owns and operates a dairy feedlot near Arion. Last Oct. 21, officials from Crawford County contacted the DNR after spotting a milky-white substance in Willow Creek, about a mile downstream from the Chapman operation. A field officer investigated, following the trail back and finding erosion paths, containing the same milky substance, from the facility to a road ditch that flowed into the creek. The field officer contacted Chapman, who stated approximately 400 gallons of milk from the dairy spoiled due to a medical emergency involving his son and he had chosen to dump the spoiled milk onto the ground adjacent to the facility. In addition to agreeing to a stipulation that he and his employees adhere to all laws and regulations regarding the discharge of pollutants into Iowa waterways, Chapman has been ordered to pay an administrative penalty of $1,350.
