(Milford)– Officials with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources are trying to determine the source of some petroleum found early Thursday afternoon in a stream and pond south of Milford.
DNR officials say a farmer in that area discovered a sheen on the water and detected a strong odor of petroleum. The farmer then notified the DNR’s regional field office in Spencer.
Officials with that office tracked down the leakage to a farm field tile line that apparently intersects a buried petroleum pipeline. The farm field is less than 10 miles south of Milford.
Officials say the leak is apparently a slow one, as the pipeline’s automatic shutdown has not been activated by a pressure loss.
Some dead fish and tadpoles were found in a pond where most of the petroleum had pooled about two miles downstream.
Absorbent booms and pads have been placed in the stream that eventually flows to the Little Sioux River.
DNR officials say they’ll continue to investigate the source of the leak and work with the pipeline company and landowner to stop the leakage and clean up the site.
DNR officials say they’ll consider appropriate enforcement actions against whoever’s found responsible for the leak.
Two different petroleum companies have pipelines in that vicinity. DNR officials were working with them to try to locate the problem.
