Nearly 11,000 fish die downstream from Cecil County dairy farm after manure overflow

An overflow from a manure lagoon at Kilby Farms caused a significant fish kill along Basin Run in Cecil County, according to the Maryland Department of the Environment.

MDE estimates that nearly 11,000 fish across 25 species were killed, a significantly larger fish kill than a similar incident in 2025.

The fish kill comes as Kilby Farms faces a lawsuit from the Maryland Department of the Environment over alleged repeated discharges of manure and other pollutants into Basin Run.

The state is also asking a judge to hold the dairy in civil contempt over alleged continued violations of a 2025 settlement.

"These violations are unacceptable," MDE stated. "We are taking this issue very seriously and have already obtained a preliminary injunction from the court barring this facility from discharging pollution into the waterway. We are now asking the judge to hold the operator in contempt of that ruling."