Welch Lake IA 06-LSR-1664

Assessment Comments

Assessment remains based on information from the IDNR Wildlife Bureau.

Basis for Assessment

SUMMARY:  The Class B(LW) aquatic life uses are assessed (evaluated) as "fully supported” based on information from the IDNR Wildlife Bureau.   The fish consumption uses remain "not assessed" due to the lack of water quality information upon which to base an assessment.   Due only to a change in IDNR's assessment/listing methodology, the 2004 assessment of the Class B(LW) aquatic life uses ["fully supporting / threatened" (minor impacts)] is changed to "fully supporting".   Other than this change in methodology, this new (2006) assessment is the same as that developed for the previous (2004) assessment/listing cycle (not impaired) and does not reflect any known change in water quality.

EXPLANATION:  The aquatic life uses are assessed as "fully supported" based on information from the Iowa DNR Wildlife Bureau.   At the recommendation of U.S.  EPA Region 7, IDNR's 2006 assessment/listing methodology was changed to eliminate use of the "fully supported/threatened" (not impaired) category.   Thus, previous assessments identified as "fully supported/threatened" (not impaired) were changed to "fully supported" for the 2006 assessment/listing cycle.   This change does not alter the 2004 assessment:  this waterbody remains in IR Category 2a.

Fish consumption uses remain "not assessed" due to the lack of monitoring at this wetland.   In general, Iowa wetlands are not managed for recreational fisheries; thus, fish contaminant monitoring is not typically conducted at these waterbodies.