Assessment Comments
Assessment is based on (1) surveys of Nebraska fisheries biologists and consultation with DNR staff and (2) fish tissue monitoring in 2000.
Basis for Assessment
SUMMARY: The Class A (primary contact recreation) uses remain "not assessed." The Class B(WW) aquatic life uses remain assessed as "partially supported." The fish consumption uses are assessed as "fully supported." The sources of information for this assessment include (1) results of U.S. EPA/IDNR fish tissue monitoring near Nebraska City in August 2000 and (2) information from Nebraska fisheries biologists. EXPLANATION: The Class A uses remained "not assessed" due to the lack of monitoring data for indicator bacteria for this reach of the Missouri River. Data for indicator bacteria are available from monitoring conducted by the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality near Rulo, Nebraska. This monitoring station, however, is approximately 60 river miles south of the Iowa state line; thus, monitoring results from the Rulo station are not useful for characterizing the water quality in the segment from the Iowa/Missouri state line to the Platte River. The Class B(WW) uses remain assessed as "partially supported" based on the assessment developed for the 1998 and 2000 reports (i.e., habitat alterations and flow modifications that resulted from development of the river for navigation uses in the mid-Twentieth Century (see above)). This assessment was developed in consultation with the Missouri River fisheries biologist for the state of Nebraska. Fish consumption uses are assessed as "fully supported" based on results of U.S. EPA / IDNR fish tissue (RAFT) monitoring in August 2000 near Nebraska City. Results from this monitoring show that levels of all contaminants in the composite samples of fillets from channel catfish and flathead catfish were well below ½ of the respective FDA action levels IDNR levels of concern.
