Big Creek Lake IA 04-UDM-1242

Assessment Comments

Basis for Assessment

Both fishable and swimable uses were assessed as FST for the 1994 report for the following reasons:  (1) BPJ of DNR Fisheries; (2) results of monitoring in 1990 show that average levels of secchi depth, chl-a, total-P, and TSS are better than overall averages for the 116 SPOLs sampled in 1990 and 1992; (3) all fish contams are < 1/2 FDA levels; (4) lake does not have problems with fishkills; (5) lake has a relatively low sedimentation rate (2.0 cm/yr) and a relatively long life expectancy (266 years) for an impoundment; (6) levels of use for both fishing and swimming report by Bachmann et al.  (1994) are some of the highest for any SPOL in Iowa; (7) DNR's 1994 fishing forecast identifies Big Cr.  L.  as good to excellent for bluegill, crappie, LMB, and CCAT.   Thus, this lake has above average WQ and well-above average use for fish.  and swim.   Lake is threatened by agricultural NPS.