Assessment Comments
Assessment is based on results of (1) results of the statewide survey of Iowa lakes conducted from 2002 through 2006 by Iowa State University (ISU), (2) results of the statewide ambient lake monitoring program conducted from 2005 through 2006 by University Hygienic Laboratory (UHL), (3) information from the IDNR Fisheries Bureau, and (4) monitoring of water quality, fish contaminants, and indicator bacteria at beaches conducted from 2004-06 by Iowa State University as part of the ACOE's Des Moines R./Saylorville Res./Red Rock Res. water quality study.
Basis for Assessment
SUMMARY: The Class A1 (primary contact recreation) uses of Saylorville Reservoir are assessed (monitored) as "not supported” due to violations of the state water quality standard for indicator bacteria. The Class B(WW-1) (aquatic life) uses are assessed (monitored) as "fully supported." Fish consumption uses were assessed (monitored) as "fully supported" based on ACOE-sponsored annual fish contaminant monitoring from 2004-06. Sources of data for this assessment include (1) results of the statewide survey of Iowa lakes conducted from 2002 through 2006 by Iowa State University (ISU), (2) results of the statewide ambient lake monitoring program conducted from 2005 through 2006 by University Hygienic Laboratory (UHL), (3) information from the IDNR Fisheries Bureau, and (4) monitoring of water quality, fish contaminants, and indicator bacteria at beaches conducted from 2004-06 by Iowa State University as part of the ACOE's Des Moines R./Saylorville Res./Red Rock Res. water quality study.
EXPLANATION: Results of water quality monitoring at the ISU/ACOE long-term station on the main reservoir near the dam suggest that the Class A1 uses should be assessed (monitored) as "fully supporting." The geometric mean level of indicator bacteria (E. coli) in the 36 samples collected at this station during the recreational seasons of 2004 through 2006 (3 orgs/100ml) is well below the Iowa Class A1 water quality criterion of 126 orgs/100ml. Also, none of the 36 samples exceeded Iowa’s single-sample maximum value of 235 orgs/100 ml (maximum sample value = 62 orgs/100 ml).
Results of ACOE beach monitoring at Oak Grove beach from 2004 through 2006 suggest that the Class A1 uses are "fully supported." Levels of indicator bacteria at Oak Grove beach were monitored once per week during the primary contact recreation seasons (May through September) of 2004 (8 samples), 2005 (15 samples), and 2006 (13 samples) as part of the ACOE monitoring program. According to IDNR’s assessment methodology, two conditions need to be met for results of beach monitoring to indicate “full support” of the Class A1 (primary contact recreation) uses: (1) all thirty-day geometric means for the three-year assessment period are less than the state’s geometric mean criterion of 126 E. coli orgs/100 ml and (2) not more than 10 % of the samples during any one recreation season exceeds the state’s single-sample maximum value of 235 E. coli orgs/100 ml. If a 5-sample, 30-day geometric mean exceeds the state criterion of 126 orgs/100 ml during the three-year assessment period, the Class A1 uses should be assessed as “not supported”. Also, if significantly more than 10% of the samples in any one of the three recreation seasons exceed Iowa’s single-sample maximum value of 235 E. coli orgs/100 ml, the Class A1 uses should be assessed as “partially supported”. This assessment approach is based on U.S. EPA guidelines (see pgs 3-33 to 3-35 of U.S. EPA 1997b).
At Oak Grove beach, the geometric means of all 11 thirty-day periods during the summer recreation seasons of 2004, 2005 and 2006 were below Iowa water quality standard of 126 E. coli orgs/100 ml. Also, the percentage of samples exceeding Iowa’s single-sample maximum criterion (235 E. coli orgs/100 ml) was not significantly greater than 10% in any of the following recreation seasons: 2004: 0% and 2005: 7%, and 2006: 15%. According to IDNR’s assessment methodology and U.S. EPA guidelines, these results do not suggest impairment of the Class A1 (primary contact recreation) uses.
Results of ACOE beach monitoring at Sandpiper beach from 2004 through 2006, however, suggest that the Class A1 uses are "not supported." Levels of indicator bacteria at Sandpiper beach were monitored once per week during the primary contact recreation seasons (May through September) of 2004 (13 samples), 2005 (16 samples), and 2006 (13 samples) as part of the ACOE monitoring program. At Sandpiper beach, the geometric mean of 1 thirty-day period during the summer recreation season of 2004, exceeded the Iowa water quality standard of 126 E. coli orgs/100 ml. The percentage of samples exceeding Iowa’s single-sample maximum criterion (235 E. coli orgs/100 ml) was not significantly greater than 10% in any of the following recreation seasons: 2004: 23% and 2005: 6%, and 2006: 0%. According to IDNR’s assessment methodology and U.S. EPA guidelines, these results suggest impairment (nonsupport/monitored) of the Class A1 (primary contact recreation) uses.
Results from the ISU statewide survey of lakes and the UHL ambient lake monitoring program suggest full support of the Class A1 uses of Saylorville Reservoir. Using the median values from this survey from 2002 through 2006 (approximately 22 samples), Carlson’s (1977) trophic state indices for Secchi depth, chlorophyll a, and total phosphorus are 62, 60, and 73, respectively. According to Carlson (1977), the index value for total phosphorus places this reservoir in the hypereutrophic category, the index value for chlorophyll a places this reservoir in the eutrophic category, and the value for Secchi depth places this reservoir in between the eutrophic and hypereutrophic categories. These values suggest relatively low levels of chlorophyll a and suspended algae in the water, moderately poor water transparency, and very high levels of phosphorus in the water column.
The level of inorganic suspended solids is high at this lake and suggests that non-algal turbidity may cause water quality problems at this lake. The median inorganic suspended solids concentration at Saylorville Reservoir was 6.2 mg/L, which was the 43rd highest of the 132 monitored lakes.
Data from the 2002-2006 ISU and UHL surveys suggest a moderately large population of cyanobacteria exists at Saylorville Reservoir, which does not suggest an impairment at this lake. These data show that cyanobacteria comprised 73% of the phytoplankton wet mass at this lake. The median cyanobacteria wet mass (11.8 mg/L), however, was the 42nd lowest of the 132 lakes sampled. According to the ISU/ACOE annual monitoring reports (e.g., Lutz and Esser 2002, Lutz and Cummings 2003, Lutz 2004, and Lutz et al. 2005), blooms of cyanobacteria typically occur during July and August, especially under elevated pool conditions. These reports contain a summary of when these blooms have occurred at Saylorville Reservoir since 1990. The occurrence of cyanobacteria blooms from June to September 2001, in July 2002, and in June 2004 suggests a concern regarding the full support of Class A1 uses at this reservoir (no algal blooms were observed in 2003).
The Class B(WW-1) (aquatic life) uses of Saylorville Reservoir are assessed as "fully supported" although dissolved oxygen remains a concern at this lake. None of the 55 samples collected during the 2004-2006 period as part of ISU/ACOE monitoring violated Class A1,B(WW-1) criteria for pH or ammonia. Seven of the 55 samples violated the Class B(WW-1) criterion for dissolved oxygen (13%). Based on IDNR’s assessment methodology these violations are not significantly greater than 10% of the samples and therefore do not suggest impairment of the Class B(WW-1) uses at Saylorville Reservoir.
The ISU and UHL lake survey data from 2002 through 2006 also show no violations of the Class B(WW-1) criterion for ammonia in 16 samples and no violations of the Class A1,B(WW-1) criteria for pH in 22 samples. Three of 22 samples exceeded the Class B(WW-1) criterion for dissolved oxygen (14%). Based on IDNR’s assessment methodology, however, these results do not suggest that significantly more than 10 percent of the samples exceed Iowa’s dissolved oxygen criteria and thus do not suggest an impairment of the Class B(WW-1) uses of Saylorville Reservoir.
Fish consumption uses were assessed (monitored) as “fully supported” based on results of ACOE/ISU fish contaminant monitoring at Saylorville Lake in 2004, 2005, and 2006. The composite samples of whole-fish common carp had low levels of contaminants (the ACOE/ISU samples are not analyzed for mercury or PCBs). Levels of total chlordane in the composite samples were as follows: 2004: 2.3 ppb; 2005: 0.64 ppb; 2006: 3.01 ppb. None of these levels approach the new (2006) advisory trigger level of 600 ppb for chlordane. The existence of, or potential for, a fish consumption advisory is the basis for Section 305(b) assessments of the degree to which Iowa’s lakes and rivers support their fish consumption uses. Prior to 2006, IDNR used action levels published by the U.S Food and Drug Administration to determine whether consumption advisories should be issued for fish caught as part of recreational fishing in Iowa. In an effort to make Iowa’s consumption more compatible with the various protocols used by adjacent states, the Iowa Department of Public Health, in cooperation with Iowa DNR, developed a risk-based advisory protocol. This protocol went into effect in January 2006 (see http://www.iowadnr.gov/fish/news/consump.html for more information on Iowa’s revised fish consumption advisory protocol). Because the revised (2006) protocol is more restrictive than the previous protocol based on FDA action levels; fish contaminant data that previously suggested “full support” may now suggest either a threat to, or impairment of, fish consumption uses. This scenario, however, does not apply to the fish contaminant data generated from the ACOE/ISU fish contaminant sampling conducted at Saylorville Lake: the levels of contaminants do not exceed any of the new (2006) advisory trigger levels, thus indicating no justification for issuance of a consumption advisory for this waterbody.
