Assessment Comments
Assessment is based on results of an October 1995 DNR stream use assessment.
Basis for Assessment
SUMMARY: The Class B(WW) aquatic life uses remain assessed as "fully supported / threatened." The fish consumption uses remain "not assessed." EXPLANATION: The assessment of support of the Class B(WW) uses remains based on the biological and habitat information from the October 1995 DNR stream use assessment (see assessment for the 1998 report above). A review of the field sheet from the October 1995 DNR stream use assessment conducted approximately 5 miles WNW of Lake View shows (1) presence of a relatively diverse fish community for streams in the Des Moines Lobe (47b) subecoregion (19 species from 4 families), (2) presence of a majority of the expected fish taxa (7 of 11) for streams in this subecoregion, and (3) presence of two of the expected game fish species (northern pike and channel catfish). According to DNR's assessment methodology for Section 305(b) reporting, these results suggest that the Class B(WW) aquatic life use are "fully supported / threatened." (Note: The upper reaches of the Boyer River lie in the "fuzzy boundary" region between the Northwest Iowa Loess Prairies (47a) and the Des Moines Lobe (47b) subecoregions. The fish community of the upper Boyer shows affinities to both subecoregions; Section 305(b) scoring for the October 1995 assessment for either subecoregion does not affect the assessment result of "fully supported / threatened" for this stream reach.) The fish consumption uses remain "not assessed" due to the lack of fish tissue monitoring in this reach of river.
