Maquoketa River IA 01-MAQ-13
Deep Cr. (Jackson Co.) to confluence with N. Fk. Maquoketa R. in S13 T84N R2E Jackson Co.
- Cycle
- 2018
- Release Status
- Final
- Overall IR
- 5 - Water is impaired or threatened and a TMDL is needed.
- Trend
- Stable
- Created
- 5/20/2019 7:18:21 AM
- Updated
- 7/15/2019 11:29:45 AM
The Class A1 (primary contact recreation) uses are assessed as “not supported” due to high levels of indicator bacteria. The Class B(WW1) aquatic life uses are assessed (monitored) as “fully supported” based on results of chemical water quality monitoring by USGS and Iowa DNR conducted from 2014 through 2016 at three sites and on the results of 2008 fish sampling conducted by the DNR Fisheries Bureau. Fish consumption uses remain assessed as “fully supported” based on fish contaminant monitoring in 2012, 2014, and 2016. The sources of data for this assessment are (1) results of USGS ambient water quality monitoring conducted on the Maquoketa River near Spragueville, IA (USGS station 05418600) from January 2014 through September 2014, (2) results of DNR monitoring at STORET station 10490003 near Maquoketa from October 2014 to March 2015, (3) results of DNR monitoring at STORET station 10490005 near Maquoketa from April 2015 to December 2016, (4) results of fish tissue monitoring conducted in 2012, 2014, and 2016 near Maquoketa for the Iowa DNR fish tissue monitoring program, and (5) Fisheries Bureau fish sampling conducted near Spragueville in 2008.
The Class A1 (primary contact recreation) uses are assessed as “not supported” due to: The Class A1 (primary contact recreation) uses are assessed (evaluated) as "partially supported" based on levels of indicator bacteria that exceeded state water quality criteria. The geometric mean of indicator bacteria (E. coli) in the 6 samples collected during the 2014 recreational season at Maquoketa River near Spragueville (USGS station 05418600) was 217 orgs/100 ml. The recreation season geometric means exceeded the Class A1 geometric mean criterion of 126 orgs/100 ml. Three of the combined 6 samples (50 %) exceeded Iowa’s Class A1 single-sample maximum criterion of 235 orgs/100 ml. The Class A1 (primary contact recreation) uses are assessed (evaluated) as "partially supported" based on levels of indicator bacteria that exceeded state water quality criteria. The geometric mean of indicator bacteria (E. coli) in the two samples collected during the 2014 recreational season at Maquoketa River Spragueville (DNR station 14000135) was 185 orgs/100 ml. One of the two samples (50 %) exceeded Iowa’s Class A1 single-sample maximum criterion of 235 orgs/100 ml.Too few samples were collected during the 2014 recreation season (two) at this site to calculate a meaningful geometric mean. The Class B(WW1) aquatic life uses are assessed (monitored) as "fully supported" based on following water quality results: Results of chemical/physical water quality monitoring Maquoketa River near Spragueville (USGS station 05418600) suggest “full support” of the aquatic life uses. Monitoring showed no violations of Class B(WW1) water quality criteria for 8 Ammonia samples (maximum = 0.6 mg/L), 7 Dissolved Oxygen samples (minimum = 8.3 mg/L), 8 pH samples (range = 7.4 to 8.6), 9 Temperature samples (maximum = 23.4°C), 9 Chloride samples (maximum = 27.7 mg/L), or 9 Sulfate samples (maximum = 26 mg/L) occurred during monitoring from January 2014 to September 2014. Results of chemical/physical water quality monitoring at Maquoketa River Spragueville (DNR station 14000135) also suggest “full support” of the aquatic life uses. Monitoring showed no violations of Class B(WW1) water quality criteria for 5 Ammonia samples (maximum = 0 mg/L), 6 Dissolved Oxygen samples (minimum = 9.8 mg/L), 5 pH samples (range = 7.9 to 8.3), 6 Temperature samples (maximum = 11.1°C), 6 Chloride samples (maximum = 21 mg/L), or 6 Sulfate samples (maximum = 26 mg/L) occurred during monitoring from October 2014 to March 2015. Results of chemical/physical water quality monitoring at Maquoketa River at Spragueville (DNR station 10490005) also suggest “full support” of the aquatic life uses. Monitoring showed no violations of Class B(WW1) water quality criteria for 21 Ammonia samples (maximum = 0.2 mg/L), 21 Dissolved Oxygen samples (minimum = 8 mg/L), 21 pH samples (range = 7.9 to 8.4), 21 Temperature samples (maximum = 24.6°C), 21 Chloride samples (maximum = 25 mg/L), or 21 Sulfate samples (maximum = 31 mg/L) occurred during monitoring from April 2015 to December 2016. According to U.S. EPA guidelines for Section 305(b) water quality assessments (U.S. EPA 1997b, page 3-17), the EPA guidelines allow up to 10% violations of these conventional parameters before impairment of water quality is indicated. Thus, these results thus suggest “full support” of the Class B(WW1) aquatic life uses. In agreement with the water quality sampling, the evaluated biological assessment based on data collected in 2008 as part of the DNR Fisheries Bureau sampling project also suggests that the Class B(WW1) aquatic life uses are "fully supporting". A series of biological metrics that reflect stream water quality and habitat integrity were calculated from the biological sampling data. The biological metrics are based on the numbers and types of fish species collected in the stream sampling reach. The biological metrics were combined to make a fish community index of biotic integrity (FIBI). The indexes rank the biological integrity of a stream sampling reach on a rising scale from 0 (minimum) to 100 (maximum). The 2008FIBI score was 45 (fair). The aquatic life use support was assessed (evaluated) as fully supporting (=FS), based on a comparison of the FIBI score with biological impairment criteria (BIC) established from a statistical analysis of biological data collected at stream ecoregion reference sites from 1994-2008. The FIBI BIC for this ecoregion is 36. This assessment is considered evaluated because the drainage area (1688 mi2) above this sampling site was greater than the maximum limit (500 mi2) that was used to calibrate the Iowa wadeable stream impairment criteria. Even though this site passed the FIBI BIC, it is uncertain as to whether or not this segment is meeting the aquatic life criteria because it doesn’t fall in the calibrated watershed size. Fish consumption uses are assessed (monitored) as "fully supported" based on the 2012, 2014, and 2016 Iowa DNR fish tissue samplings on the Maquoketa River northeast of Maquoketa. This site has been sampled for whole-fish common carp since 1995 on an every-other-year basis as part of fish contaminant trend monitoring. The whole-fish samples of common carp from these three years had generally low levels of the primary contaminants: mercury: maximum of 0.06 ppm; total PCBs: maximum of 0.162 ppm; and technical chlordane: maximum of 0.042 ppm. The results therefore, continue to suggest "full support" of the fish consumption uses.