Big Muddy Creek IA 06-LSR-1637
mouth (S15 T96N R36W Clay Co.) to confluence with unnamed tributary in S17 T98N R35W Dickinson Co.
Assessment Comments
1995 Biocriteria: Fish IBI=36 (fair), BM-IBI=79 (good).
Basis for Assessment
Upgraded the assessment of support of the Class B(LR) aquatic life uses from PS to FST due to (1) presence of a moderately diverse fish community for streams of the Des Moines Lobe (47b) subecoregion (14 species from 5 families) and (2) presence of a majority of the expected fish taxa (9 of 11) for streams in this region. Presence of a good diversity of fish including the expected species for Class B(LR) streams of this region, indicates that the Class B(LR) uses are being acheived. As described in the assessment developed for the 1996 Section 305(b) report, the primary threat to the continued support of these uses is poor quality of aquatic habitats due to channel alterations including removal of the natural riparian vegetation, that have led to channel widening and sedimentation.
Assessment Key Dates
Methods
| 220 | Non-fixed station physical/chemical monitoring (conventional pollutant only) |
| 315 | Regional reference site approach |
| 320 | Benthic macroinvertebrate surveys |
| 330 | Fish surveys |
| 380 | Quan. measurements of instream parms-- channel morphology-- floodplain-- 1-2 seasons-- by prof |
Monitoring Levels
| Biological | 4 |
| Habitat | 4 |
| Physical Chemistry | 1 |
| Toxic | 0 |
| Pathogen Indicators | 0 |
| Other Health Indicators | 0 |
| Other Aquatic Life Indicators | 0 |
| # of Bio Sites | 1 |
| BioIntegrity | Good |