Turkey River IA 01-TRK-149
from confluence with Volga R. (Clayton Co.) to west line of S9 T93N R5W Clayton Co. (two stream miles downstream from Big Spring Trout Hatchery).
Assessment Comments
No chemical or biological monitoring conducted.
Basis for Assessment
Changed the assessment of support of the Class B(WW) aquatic life uses from FST to "not assessed" due to lack of either chemical or biological monitoring in this river reach. Although noted as providing good habitat for smallmouth bass in Iowa Conservationist "fishing forecasts," water quality monitoring is needed to provide the information required to develop an assessment of the support of the Class B(WW) uses. No information available for assessing support of the Class A (primary contact recreation) uses. Monitoring is conducted in this reach by the DNR Geological Survey Bureau near the Big Spring Fish Hatchery as part of long-term groundwater and surface water studies in the Big Spring groundwater basin (see, for example, "Groundwater monitoring in the Big Spring Basin, 1994-1995: a summary review" prepared in 1997 by H. Liu, R.D. Rowden, and R.D. Libra of the DNR GSB). This monitoring includes sampling of the Turkey River for agricultural pesticides and nitrate. State WQ standards, however, do not contain water quality criteria for protection of either primary contact recreation uses or aquatic life uses for these parameters.