Iowa DNR
Iowa DNR
ADBNet
Water Quality Assessments
Impaired Waters List

Trumbull Lake IA 06-LSR-1636

Clay County S27T97NR35W 5 mi NE of Dickens.

This is a DRAFT assessment
Draft assessments may change without notice
Cycle
2026
Current Phase
Public Comment
Overall IR
5 - Water is impaired or threatened and a TMDL is needed.
Trophic
Eutrophic
Trend
Stable
Created
10/27/2025 3:10:25 PM
Updated
1/12/2026 11:05:47 AM
Use Support
Class A1
Recreation - Primary contact
Fully Supported
Class BLW
Aquatic Life - Lakes and wetlands
Not Supported
Support Level
Not Supported
Impairment Code
5a - Pollutant-caused impairment. TMDL needed.
Cause Magnitude
Moderate
Status
New
Source
Unknown: Source Unknown
Source Confidence
Moderate
Cycle Added
2026
Impairment Rationale
Significantly > 10% of samples fail to meet criterion
Data Source
Ambient monitoring: Iowa DNR-shallow lakes & wetlands
TMDL Priority
Tier IV
Class HH
Human Health -
Not Assessed
Impairment Delistings
No delistings for this assessment cycle.
Documentation
Assessment Summary

The Class A1 use was assessed (monitored) as “fully supported.” The Class BLW use was assessed (monitored) as “not supported” due to violations of the dissolved oxygen criterion. All other designated uses were “not assessed.” Note: A TMDL for algae and turbidity at Trumbull Lake was prepared by DNR and approved by EPA in 2006. Because all Section 303(d) impairments identified for the current assessment/listing cycle (algal growth, turbidity, and pH) are addressed by the TMDL, this waterbody is placed in IR Category 4a (impaired; TMDL approved.)

Assessment Explanation

Data Sources:

Data Source

Data Source ID

Data Type

Data Age

Site ID

Site Name

Site Description

Iowa DNR

6

WQ

CY 2020-2024

22210001

Trumbull Lake Max Depth

Class A - Indicator Bacteria: No Data

Class A1 - pH

Site ID

Data Source ID

# Samples / # Years

Minimum Value

Maximum Value

Mean Value

# Violations

Violations needed for impairment

Violates Significantly >10% Rule?

Assessment Type

Support Level

22210001

6

10 / 2

7.26

8.81

7.81

0

3

NO

MONITORED

FULL

Class A1 - Lake TSI's

Site ID

Data Source ID

Parameter Name

# Samples / # Years

Minimum Value

Maximum Value

Median Value

Median TSI Violation?

Assessment Type

Support Level

22210001

6

Chlorophyll a TSI

16 / 4

46

85

64

NO

MONITORED

FULL

22210001

6

Secchi TSI

14 / 3

56

80

64

NA

NA

NA

22210001

6

Total Phosphorus TSI

16 / 4

53

90

74

NA

NA

NA

The TSI value for Secchi depth is not used to evaluate the attainment of aquatic life goals in shallow lakes. Due to the depth of these shallow lakes, TSI values for Secchi depth can be misleading. In some instances, the Secchi disk remains visible at the bottom of the lake and the depth of the lake is recorded as the Secchi depth. In these instances, water clarity may be sufficient to support the Class B(LW) uses, but the index value is limited by the depth of the lake. Thus, the combination of total suspended solids and chlorophyll a will be used to determine whether or not the Class BLW uses are impaired in these shallow systems.

Class BLW - Binomial Parameters:

Site ID

Data Source ID

Parameter Name

# Samples / # Years

Minimum Value

Maximum Value

Mean Value

# Violations

# Acute / Chronic Violations

Violations needed for impairment

Violates Significantly >10% Rule?

Assessment Type

Support Level

22210001

6

Dissolved Oxygen

15 / 3

4.17

16.05

8.84

4

NA / NA

4

YES

MONITORED

NOT

22210001

6

pH

10 / 2

7.26

8.81

7.81

0

NA / NA

3

NO

MONITORED

FULL

22210001

6

Temperature

15 / 3

11.84

27.3

22.33

0

NA / NA

4

NO

MONITORED

FULL

Class BLW - Protection of Submerged Aquatic Vegetation:

Site ID

Data Source ID

Parameter Name

# Samples / # Years

Minimum Value

Maximum Value

Median Value

Median Value = SAV

Assessment Type

Support Level

22210001

6

Total suspended solids

16 / 4

2

70

10

NO

MONITORED

FULL

Guidelines for wetland assessment from the Upper Mississippi River Conservation Committee’s Water Quality Technical Section (2003) state that the overall median suspended solids concentration during the growing season of less than 30 mg/L is necessary to provide sufficient water clarity to support the growth of submersed aquatic vegetation in wetlands and shallow lakes. High levels of total suspended solids impede the growth of submersed aquatic vegetation (SAV). Submersed aquatic vegetation is critical to the health of wetland and shallow lake ecosystems. The elimination of SAV can degrade habitat quality such that undesirable aquatic species such as cyanobacteria, common carp, and fathead minnows dominate. As such, the suppression of SAV constitutes a violation of Iowa’s narrative water quality criteria protecting against undesirable or nuisance aquatic life.

Class BLW - Toxic Parameters:

Site ID

Data Source ID

Parameter Name

# Samples / # Years

Maximum Value

Mean Value

Median Value

# Acute / Chronic Violations

>1 Acute / Chronic Violation

Assessment Type

Support Level

22210001

6

Ammonia

5 / 1

0.08

0.04

0.02

0 / 0

NO

EVALUATED

FULL

Class HH - No Data

Monitoring and Methods
Assessment Key Dates
5/19/2020
Monitoring Start
9/16/2024
Monitoring End
7/24/2006
TMDL Completed
Methods
200
Physical/Chemical Monitoring
260
Fish tissue analysis