Hickory Creek IA 04-RAC-1141
mouth (S17 T79N R27W Dallas Co.) to confluence with unnamed tributary in S16 T79N R27W Dallas Co.
The presumptive Class A1 (primary contact recreation) uses remain "not assessed" (IR 3a) due to the lack of information upon which to base an assessment. The Class B(WW2) aquatic life uses remain assessed (evaluated) as "partially supported" (IR 3b) based on results of biological monitoring and habitat assessment conducted as part of a May 1994 IDNR stream use assessment. Although the data upon which this assessment were originally based have aged well beyond 10 years (now, 20+ years)--and are thus considered far too old to characterize current water quality conditions--the indication of a potential impairment suggests that this stream segment should remain assessed (evaluated) as "partially supported" and thus remain in Category 3b of Iowa’s Integrated Report (i.e., on Iowa's list of waters in need of further investigation).
Continue to use the assessment of the aquatic life uses developed for previous assessment/listing cycles that was based on results of the 1994 IDNR stream use assessment. As stated in that assessment, the number of fish species (=7) and families (=2) collected during the 1994 stream use assessment were relatively low for streams in the Des Moines Lobe subecoregion (47b), and only 5 of the 11 expected fish taxa for Des Moines Lobe streams were present. Thus, additional sampling with more a more effective gear type is still needed to better determine the status of the aquatic communities. The field sheet from the 1994 assessment indicates the presence of relatively high quality aquatic habitats, and field notes indicate that effective seining was hindered by rocks and snags.