Swisher truck shop developer fined $4,500 for erosion

A construction site near Swisher along Interstate 380 had insufficient erosion controls that led sediment to flow into a tributary of McAllister Creek, according to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.

The department recently levied a $4,500 fine against the company that is developing the site, 2612 REC LLC. It will be an auto truck center that sells and repairs vehicles, according to Johnson County records.

In April 2024, a DNR inspection found that no one was monitoring stormwater discharges from the site and that it wasn't properly stabilized to prevent erosion from flowing off-site. The department issued a violation notice.

In November, someone complained that sediment-laden stormwater was flowing into the creek. A subsequent investigation found significant erosion on the east side of the site.

"A flow path of sediment-laden stormwater was observed flowing east off the site into a wooden area and ultimately to a tributary of McAllister Creek," a recent DNR order said.

Construction sites that allow eroded soil to flow into streams often yield state fines. The department issued another violation notice in November. It recently reached an agreement with the company for the $4,500 fine, and the company pledged to prevent similar incidents in the future.

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