Assessment Comments
Assessment remains based on results of an IDNR investigation of fish kill in January 2001.
Basis for Assessment
SUMMARY: The general uses are assessed (evaluated) as "partially supported" based on a report of a fish kill in January 2001. Due to the absence of kills subsequent to that kill, this assessment segment will be considered “evaluated” and thus moved from Category 4d (impaired but TMDL not required) to Category 3b (water in need of further investigation) of Iowa's 2006 Integrated Report. Note: the 2004 assessment of the general uses of Klondike Creek was "fully supported/threatened" because, according to the IDNR investigation, Klondike Creek was not affected by the January 2001 kill. In order to be consistent with the approach used for updating other assessments based on fish kills, the 2006 assessment will be considered "partial/evaluated", and Klondike Creek will be moved from IR Category 4d to 3b. Ideally, a separate waterbody should have been created for the tributary affecdted by the January 2001 kill.
EXPLANATION: A fish kill occurred on an unnamed tributary to Klondike Creek on January 10, 2001. The party responsible for the kill was identified. The kill affected approximately 1 mile of an unnamed tributary to its confluence with Klondike Creek. An estimated 25 fish were killed. Although dead fish were observed in the unnamed tributary, they were not observed in Klondike Creek. The kill was caused by hog manure that reached the unnamed tributary. Temporary measures by the facility, such as building 3-4 dikes across the waterway, were implemented to further reduce the impact. Because the kill approached, but apparently did not reach, Klondike Creek, the general aquatic life uses of this stream segment were assessed as "fully supported / threatened" for the 2004 assessment/listing cycle.
According to DNR's assessment methodology for Section 305(b) reporting, occurrence of a single pollution-caused fish kill during an assessment period indicates "partial support" of the aquatic life uses. If, however, a consent order has been issued to the party responsible for the kill and monetary restitution has been sought for the fish killed, the affected waterbody should be placed in IR Category 4d (impaired but TMDL not required). Thus, this assessment segment was placed into Category 4d of Iowa's 2004 Integrated Report. Also, according to IDNR's assessment/listing methodology, if no additional fish kills have occurred over at least a three-year period (i.e., no kills occurred in the period 2002-2004), the assessment of impairment should be considered “evaluated” (i.e., of lower confidence), and the waterbody segment should be moved from IR Category 4d to IR Category 3b (list of waters in need of further investigation).
