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Assessment Comments

Assessment is based on results of an October 1995 IDNR stream use assessment conducted near Moville, Woodbury county.

Basis for Assessment

SUMMARY:  The Class B(LR) aquatic life uses remain assessed as "fully supported / threatened."  EXPLANATION:  The assessment of support of the Class B(LR) uses remains based on the biological and habitat information from the October 1995 DNR stream use assessments conducted near Moville on this reach of the West Fork Little Sioux River (see assessment for the 1998 report).   A review of the field sheet from the October 1995 assessment shows presence of a majority of the expected fish taxa (5of 9) for streams in the Northwest Iowa Loess Prairies (47a) subecoregion.   According to DNR's assessment methodology for Section 305(b) reporting, these results suggest that the Class B(LR) aquatic life use are "fully supported / threatened."  The October 1995 stream assessment was conducted during high flow conditions.   Follow-up biological monitoring should be conducted at lower flows in summer to better determine the status of the aquatic communities of this stream reach.   (Note:  The upper reaches of the West Fork Little Sioux River lie in the "fuzzy boundary" region between the Northwest Iowa Loess Prairies (47a) and the Loess Hills and Rolling Prairies (47e) subecoregions.   The fish community of this reach 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.)