Assessment Comments
Assessment is based on results of an IDNR stream use assessment conducted in October 1994 in O'Brien County.
Basis for Assessment
SUMMARY: The Class B(LR) aquatic life uses remain assessed as "fully supported / threatened" (minor impacts) based on results of biological monitoring and habitat assessment conducted as part of the IDNR stream use assessment in 1994. Due to the age of these data, The assessment category is changed from "monitored" (higher-confidence assessment) to "evaluated" (lower-confidence assessment).
EXPLANATION: Continue to use the assessment developed for the 1998 and 2000 reports that was based on results of the 1994 IDNR stream use assessment. As stated in the assessment developed for the 1998 reporting cycle: "Continued to use the assessment of support of the Class B(LR) aquatic life uses developed for the 1996 report (=FST). A review of the field sheet from the October 1994 DNR stream use assessments shows (1) a moderately diverse fish community (11 species from 3 families) for stream in the NW Iowa Loess Prairies (47a) subecoregion and (2) presence of a majority of the expected fish taxa (7 of 9) for this subecoregion."
Because these data are now considered too old (greater than five years) to accurately characterize current water quality conditions, the assessment category is changed from "monitored" (indicating an assessment with relatively high confidence) to "evaluated" (indicating an assessment with relatively low confidence).
