Whitewater Creek IA 01-NMQ-104

confluence with Curran Branch (S12 T87N R1W Dubuque Co.) to confluence with unnamed tributary in S18 T88N R1E Dubuque Co.

Open Data Collection Period Modal

For purposes of developing stream/river water quality assessments for integrated reporting, three years of water quality data are typically used for both conventional pollutant parameters (e.g., indicator bacteria) and the less frequently monitored toxic parameters (e.g., toxic metals). Since the 2004 IR cycle, DNR has used a three-year data gathering period for streams, rivers, and beaches. For most assessments, the use of three years of data increases the number of samples upon which the decision on use support is based and helps address the problem of weather-related year-to-year fluctuations in water quality.

Due to the lower sampling frequency in Iowa’s ambient lake, biological, fish kill, and fish tissue monitoring programs, five years of data are used for developing IR assessments and for identifying Section 303(d) listings.

Data Type	Data Timeframe
Beach Sampling Data	CY 2018 - 2020
Stream/River Water Quality Data	CY 2018 - 2020
Lake Water Quality Data	CY 2016 - 2020
Biological Sampling Data	CY 2016 - 2020*
Fish Kill Data	CY 2016 - 2020
Fish Tissue Sampling Data	CY 2016 - 2020
Continuous Dissolved Oxygen Sampling Data	CY 2016 - 2020
*Biological sites sampled in both 2015 and 2019 were also assessed.

Open Segment Map
View assessment methodology in new window

Cycle: 2022
Release Status: Final
Overall IR: 5 - Water is impaired or threatened and a TMDL is needed.
Trend: Unknown
Created: 1/7/2022 10:52:45 AM
Updated: 1/7/2022 11:01:50 AM

Use Support

Class A1

Presumptive Use

Recreation - Primary contact

Not Assessed

Class BWW2

Aquatic Life - Warm Water Type 2

Not Supported

Fish Kill: Caused By Animal Waste

Support Level

Not Supported

Impairment Code

5b - Biological impairment or pollutant-caused fish kill - unknown source. No administrative action.

Cause Magnitude

High

Status

Continuing

Source

Agriculture: Manure Runoff

Source Confidence

Low

Cycle Added

2018

Impairment Rationale

Pollutant-caused fish kill

Data Source

Fish kill investigation: Iowa DNR

TMDL Priority

Tier IV

Impairment Delistings

No delistings for this assessment cycle.

Documentation

Assessment Summary

The Class BWW2 use was assessed as "not supported" due to multiple fish kills. All other designated uses were "not assessed."

Assessment Explanation

Presumptive Class A1 - No Data

Class BWW2 – Fish kill Assessment:

The Class BWW2 aquatic life use assessment based on the 2016 and 2018 fish kills placed this segment Category 5b. The fish kills were caused by a “pollutant” or were suspected to be caused by a “pollutant”; therefore, the Class BWW2 use was considered impaired. This assessment was considered “monitored” and the aquatic life use is eligible to be placed in Category 5b because there were multiple fish kills in this segment in the last five years. Due to uncertainty regarding the recovery of the aquatic life following fish kills, any existing fish kill 5b impairment will remain in Category 5b until more recent sampling has shown recovery of the aquatic community or the responsible party has paid restitution for all the historic fish kills.

Details about the 2016 fish kill can be found here: https://programs.iowadnr.gov/fishkill/Events/916

Details about the 2018 fish kill can be found here: https://programs.iowadnr.gov/fishkill/Events/950

Monitoring and Methods

Assessment Key Dates

9/19/2016

Fish Kill

5/3/2018

Fish Kill

Methods

120

Surveys of fish and game biologists/other professionals

140

Incidence of spills and/or fish kills