ADBNet

Assessment Comments

Assessment based on results of IDNR/UHL biological (REMAP) sampling in 2002: Fish IBI= 40 (fair), BM-IBI= 67 (good).

Basis for Assessment

SUMMARY:  The Class B(WW) aquatic life uses are assessed (monitored) as “fully supporting” based on results of biological monitoring in 2002 conducted as part of the IDNR/UHL REMAP project.   The fish consumption uses remain “not assessed” due to the lack of fish contaminant monitoring in this river segment.  

EXPLANATION:  The assessment of aquatic life uses was based on results of biological monitoring conducted in 2002 as part of the DNR/UHL REMAP project.   A series of biological metrics which reflect stream water quality and habitat integrity were calculated from the biocriteria sampling data.   The biological metrics are based on the numbers and types of benthic macroinvertebrate taxa and fish species that were collected in the stream sampling reach.   The biological metrics were combined to make a fish community index of biotic integrity (F-IBI) and a benthic macroinvertebrate index (BM-IBI).   The indexes rank the biological integrity of a stream sampling reach on a rising scale from 0 (minimum) to 100 (maximum).   The 2002 Fish IBI score was 40 (fair) and the BM-IBI score was 67 (good).  The aquatic life use support was assessed (monitored) as fully supporting (=FS), based on a comparison of the F-IBI and BM-IBI scores with biological assessment criteria established for previous Section 305(b) reports.  The biological assessment criteria were determined from a statistical analysis of data collected at stream ecoregion reference sites from 1994-2001.

The fish consumption uses remain “not assessed” due to the lack of fish contaminant monitoring in this river segment.