Missouri River IA 06-WEM-1720

Assessment Comments

Assessment remains based on (1) information from Nebraska fisheries biologists on habitat conditions in the Missouri River and (2) assessment information from Nebraska DEQ’s 2008 Integrated Report.

Basis for Assessment

SUMMARY:  The Class A1 (primary contact recreation) uses remain assessed (monitored) as “fully supported” based on data and information from the Nebraska DEQ.   The Class B(WW1) aquatic life uses remain assessed (evaluated) as "partially supported" based on information from local fisheries biologists on impacts related to flow modification and habitat alterations in this segment of the Missouri River.   The fish consumption uses remain “not assessed” due to the lack of fish contaminant monitoring in this river segment.   The sources of information for this assessment are (1) information from Nebraska fisheries biologists on habitat conditions in the Missouri River and (2) assessment information from Nebraska DEQ’s 2008 Integrated Report (http://www.deq.state.ne.us/).   [Note:  Nebraska's 2010 Integrated Report was not yet available during development of this (2010) assessment.]    

EXPLANATION:  The Class A1 (primary contact recreation) uses remain assessed (monitored) as “fully supported” based on the assessment of primary contact recreation uses identified for this segment of the Missouri River by the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality (NDEQ) for their 2006 and 2008 Section 303(d) listing cycles.    

The Class B(WW1) uses remain assessed (evaluated) as "partially supported" based on the assessment developed for previous assessment/listing cycles (i.e., habitat alterations and flow modifications that resulted from development of the river for navigation uses in the mid-Twentieth Century).   This assessment was developed in consultation with the Missouri River fisheries biologist for the state of Nebraska.  

Fish consumption uses remain “not assessed” due to the lack of recent fish contaminant monitoring in this river segment.