Turkey River IA 01-TRK-154

Assessment Comments

DNR stream use assessment conducted in September 1995.

Basis for Assessment

Used a review of the field sheet from the September 1995 DNR stream use assessment near Vernon Springs to upgrade the assessment of support of the Class B(WW) aquatic life uses from FST to FS due to (1) presence of a very diverse fish community (24 species from 4 families) for streams in the Iowan Surface subecoregion (47c), (2) presence of nearly all the expected fish taxa (10 of 11) for Class B(WW) streams in this subregion, (3) presence of good numbers of the expected game fish species (smallmouth bass, reported as "common," with adults from 10 to 18 inches (TL) and juveniles from 2-4 inches present), (4) presence of several environmentally sensitive species, including rosyface shiner, black redhorse, rock bass, smallmouth bass, rainbow darter, and banded darter, and (5) indications of above average habitat quality due to very diverse substrates, presence of pool/riffle sequences, and only isolated impacts to the physical characteristics of this stream reach.   As noted in the assessment developed for the 1996 report (above), the 1995 stream use assessment was conducted below a lowhead dam at Vernon Springs; thus, habitat conditions were somewhat atypical.   Additional monitoring is needed at other locations in this relatively long (approx.  45 mile) reach of Class B(WW) stream to improve the accuarcy of the assessment of support of the Class B(WW) uses.