Boone River IA 04-UDM-1256

White Fox Cr to Otter Cr (Wright 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 2020 - 2022
Stream/River Water Quality Data	CY 2020 - 2022
Lake Water Quality Data	CY 2018 - 2022
Biological Sampling Data	CY 2018 - 2022*
Fish Kill Data	CY 2018 - 2022
Fish Tissue Sampling Data	CY 2018 - 2022
Continuous Dissolved Oxygen Sampling Data	CY 2018 - 2022
*Biological sites sampled in both 2017 and 2021 were also assessed.

Open Segment Map
View assessment methodology in new window

Cycle: 2024
Release Status: Final
Overall IR: 5 - Water is impaired or threatened and a TMDL is needed.
Trend: Unknown
Created: 11/1/2023 8:13:09 AM
Updated: 1/24/2024 11:12:43 AM

Use Support

Class A1

Recreation - Primary contact

WINOFI

Bacteria: Indicator Bacteria- E. coli

Support Level

Further Investigation Needed

Impairment Code

3b - Use potentially impaired based on an evaluated assessment.

Cause Magnitude

Slight

Status

Continuing

Source

Unknown: Source Unknown

Source Confidence

N/A

Cycle Added

2008

Impairment Rationale

Geometric mean criterion exceeded

Data Source

Special project/study

Class BWW1

Aquatic Life - Warm Water Type 1

Not Supported

Fish Kill: Due To Unknown Toxicity

Support Level

Not Supported

Impairment Code

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

Cause Magnitude

Moderate

Status

Continuing

Source

Unknown: Source Unknown

Source Confidence

N/A

Cycle Added

2016

Impairment Rationale

Pollutant-caused fish kill

Data Source

Fish kill investigation: Iowa DNR

TMDL Priority

Tier IV

Class HH

Human Health -

Not Assessed

Impairment Delistings

No delistings for this assessment cycle.

Documentation

Assessment Summary

The Class A1 use was assessed as "WINOFI" based on 2005 indicator bacteria (E. coli) monitoring data. The Class BWW1 use was assessed as "not supported" due to multiple fish kills. All other designated uses were "not assessed."

Assessment Explanation

Data Sources:

Data Source	Data Source ID	Data Type	Data Age	Site ID	Site Name	Site Description
Iowa DNR	6	WQ	CY 2005	11400001	Boone River	At Woolstock

Class A1 - Indicator Bacteria: 2005

Site ID	Data Source ID	# Samples / # Years	2005 Geometric Mean	Annual Geometric Mean Violation	# Violations	% Violations	Significantly >10% Violations	Assessment Type	Support Level
11400001	6	5 / 1	167	NA	1	20%	NA	Evaluated	WINOFI
The amount of data available for this assessment (five samples) did not meet DNR IR Methodology that requires at least 10 samples be collected per segment over a three-year period. Assessments that do not meet DNR assessment/listing guidelines are considered “evaluated” (i.e., of lower confidence); these assessments are not appropriate for adding waters to Iowa’s Section 303(d) list of impaired waters. Such assessments are appropriate for addition of waters to IR subcategory 3b and to Iowa’s list of waters in need of further investigation (WINOFI).

Class BWW1 - Fish kill Assessment:

The Class BWW1 aquatic life use assessment based on the 2013 and 2015 fish kills placed this segment in Category 5b. The fish kills were caused by a “pollutant” or was suspected to be caused by a “pollutant”; therefore, the Class BWW1 use was considered impaired. Because the source of the pollutant was not identified and/or the enforcement actions taken against the responsible party have not been resolved, the Class BWW1 use was placed in Category 5b. Due to uncertainty regarding the recovery of the aquatic life following the 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.

Details about the 2013 fish kill can be found here: https://programs.iowadnr.gov/fishkill/Events/898

Details about the 2015 fish kill can be found here: https://programs.iowadnr.gov/fishkill/Events/891

Monitoring and Methods

Assessment Key Dates

5/2/2005

Monitoring Start

9/14/2005

Monitoring End

10/1/2013

Fish Kill

8/9/2015

Fish Kill

Methods

120

Surveys of fish and game biologists/other professionals

140

Incidence of spills and/or fish kills

150

Monitoring data more than 5 years old

330

Fish surveys

420

Indicator bacteria monitoring