Prompts winter weather advisories as cold air moves in Friday night

MPR News helps you turn down the noise and build shared understanding. Turn up your support for this public resource and keep trusted journalism accessible to all. 

Turn Up Your Support

State agencies are investigating what killed an estimated 2,500 fish, mostly brown trout, along a stretch of trout stream in southeastern Minnesota earlier this week.

, near Lewiston in Winona County. The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, which is investigating the fish kill along with the departments of agriculture and natural resources, says it doesn't think the fish died naturally. 

Previous fish kills have been linked to chemical runoff from farms after heavy rain — and storms dropped heavy rain in parts of southern Minnesota last weekend.

"Field crews from the three agencies have collected fish and water samples and are analyzing results to help determine the cause of the fish kill,” MPCA spokesperson Mike Rafferty told MPR News on Friday, saying the agencies will provide updates when they have more information.

John Lenczewski, executive director of Minnesota Trout Unlimited, described Rush Creek as a "top-notch trout stream that ... draws people from not just around the state but from outside the state."

In the wake of previous fish kills in the region, he said there's frustration that it has happened again.

Can Minnesota stop polluting its lakes, rivers?

"What we want is to see something change," he said, to prevent additional fish kills.

"If it's a question of when manure application should take place, and the rules aren't clear enough or need to create some cushion for timing, then let's change those rules,” Lenczewski said. "If it's pesticide or fungicide application rules, well, let's change those rules so this doesn't continue to happen."

Environmental News

Business and Economic News

Agriculture

Water

Lifestyle

Outdoors

NewsPartners

Mark Zdechlik

Author

State agencies are investigating what killed an estimated 2,500 fish, mostly brown trout, along a stretch of creek in southeastern Minnesota earlier this week.

State agencies investigating major fish kill in southeast Minnesota trout stream

Go Deeper.

Like this?