Five Island Lake IA 04-UDM-1300

For the 2016 assessment/listing cycle, the Class A1 (primary contact recreation) uses of Five Island Lake are assessed (monitored) as "not supported" due to poor water transparency and aesthetically objectionable conditions caused by algae blooms based on information from the ISU lake survey. Using the median values from these surveys from 2010-2014 (approximately 15 samples), Carlson 's (1977) trophic state indices for Secchi depth, chlorophyll a, and total phosphorus were 71, 69, and 69 respectively for Five Island Lake. According to Carlson (1977) the Secchi depth, chlorophyll a, and total phosphorus values all place Five Island Lake in between the Eutrophic and the Hypereutrophic categories. These values suggest high levels of chlorophyll a and suspended algae in the water, very poor water transparency, and high levels of phosphorus in the water column. The data show no violations of the Class A1 criterion for pH in 15 samples.

Note: A TMDL for algae and turbidity at Five Island Lake was prepared by IDNR and approved by EPA in 2006.   Because all Section 303(d) impairments identified for the 2008, 2010, 2012, 2014 and current (2016) assessment/listing cycle (algal growth and turbidity) are addressed by the TMDL, this waterbody remains in IR Category 4a (impaired; TMDL approved). 

The level of inorganic suspended solids was very high at Five Island Lake, and does suggest that non-algal turbidity contributes to the impairment at this lake. The median level of inorganic suspended solids in Five Island Lake (11.5 mg/L) was ranked 125th among the 138 lakes by the ISU lake survey.

Data from the 2010-2014 ISU lake survey suggest a large population of cyanobacteria exists at Five Island Lake, which suggests the potential for an impairment due to nuisance aquatic life These data show that cyanobacteria comprised 96% of the phytoplankton wet mass at this lake. The median cyanobacteria wet mass (68.8 mg/L) was ranked 125th of the 138 lakes sampled. This median is in the worst 25% of the 138 lakes sampled. The presence of a large population of cyanobacteria at this lake suggests a potential violation of Iowa's narrative water quality standard protecting against the occurrence of nuisance aquatic life. This assessment is based strictly on the distribution of the lake-specific median cyanobacteria values from 2010-2014. Median levels greater than the 75th percentile of this distribution were arbitrarily considered to represent potential impairment. No other criteria exist, however, upon which to base a more accurate identification of impairments due to cyanobacteria. Assessments based on level of cyanobacteria will be considered "evaluated" (indicating an assessment with relatively lower confidence) as opposed to "monitored" (indicating an assessment with relatively higher confidence) to account for this lower level of confidence.

The Class B(LW) (aquatic life) uses are assessed (monitored) as "fully supported." Results of the ISU lake survey from 2010-2014 show there were no violations of the criterion for ammonia in 15 samples(0%), no violations of the criterion for dissolved oxygen in 15 samples(0%), and no violations of the criterion for pH in 15 samples(0%). Based on IDNR's assessment methodology these violations are not significantly greater than 10% of the samples and therefore suggest (fully supported/monitored) of the Class B(LW) uses of Five Island Lake.

Fish consumption uses were assessed (monitored) as “fully supported” based on results of U.S.   EPA/IDNR fish contaminant (RAFT) monitoring at Five Island Lake in 2012.    The composite samples of fillets from walleye and channel catfish had low levels of contaminants.    Levels of primary contaminants in the composite sample of walleye fillets were as follows: mercury: 0.037 ppm.    Levels of primary contaminants in the composite sample of channel catfish fillets were as follows: mercury: 0.0219 ppm; total PCBs: 0.09 ppm; and technical chlordane: <0.03 ppm.    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.     The fish contaminant data generated from the 2012 RAFT sampling conducted at this Five Island Lake show that the levels of contaminants do not exceed any of the advisory trigger levels, thus indicating no justification for issuance of a consumption advisory for this waterbody.