Sevenmile Creek IA 05-NOD-1410

The Class B(WW2) aquatic life uses remain assessed (evaluated) as “fully supporting” based on biological data collected in 2006 as part of the DNR/SHL stream REMAP project. A series of biological metrics which 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 benthic macroinvertebrate taxa and fish species collected in the stream sampling reach. The biological metrics were combined to make a fish community index of biotic integrity (FIBI) and a benthic macroinvertebrate index (BMIBI). The indexes rank the biological integrity of a stream sampling reach on a rising scale from 0 (minimum) to 100 (maximum). The 2006 FIBI score was 26 (fair) and the BMIBI score was 75 (good). The aquatic life use support was assessed as fully supporting (=FS), based on a comparison of the FIBI and BMIBI scores with biological impairment criteria (BIC) established for previous Section 305(b) reports. The FIBI BIC for this ecoregion is 31 and the BMIBI BIC for this ecoregion is 54. This site met the FIBI BIC with the aid of the uncertainty adjustment value (FIBI UAV = 7 points). The biological impairment criteria were determined from a statistical analysis of data collected at stream ecoregion reference sites from 1994-2008.

This aquatic life assessment is considered "evaluated" because there were not two or more samples collected from this segment in multiple years over a recent five-year period. Also, because these data are now considered too old (greater than five years) to accurately characterize current water quality conditions, the assessment category is considered “evaluated” (indicating an assessment with relatively lower confidence) as opposed to "monitored" (indicating an assessment with relatively higher confidence). Despite this change in assessment methodology and type, this waterbody remains in IR Category 2a.