Indian Creek IA 02-CED-1875

Assessment Comments

Assessment based on results of IDNR/UHL biological (biocriteria) monitoring in 2000: Fish IBI = 44 (fair), BM-IBI = 79 (excellent) and 1998 Fisheries sampling: Fish IBI = 50 (fair).

Basis for Assessment

SUMMARY:  The Class B(LR) aquatic life uses are assessed (monitored) as "fully supported / threatened" (minor impacts)  based on results of IDNR/UHL biological (biocriteria) sampling in 2000 and 1998 IDNR Fisheries sampling results.   This is the same assessment as that developed for the 2002 reporting cycle with the addition of the Fisheries data.

[For the 2002 report, data that was collected in waterbody segment IA 02-CED-0211-0 was erroneously used to assess waterbody segment IA 02-CED-0210-2.   That assessment has now been deleted and can be found here.]

EXPLANATION:  This assessment was based on data collected in 2000 as part of the DNR/UHL stream biocriteria project and in 1998 as part of a DNR Fisheries stream sampling project: Manchester research station.   A series of biological metrics which reflect stream water quality and habitat integrity were calculated from the biocriteria sampling data.   The biological metrics are based on the numbers and types of benthic macroinvertebrate taxa and fish species that were collected in the stream sampling reach.   The biological metrics were combined to make a fish community index of biotic integrity (F-IBI) and a benthic macroinvertebrate index (BM-IBI).   The indexes rank the biological integrity of a stream sampling reach on a rising scale from 0 (minimum) to 100 (maximum).   The 2000 Fish IBI score was 44 (fair) and the BM-IBI score was 79 (excellent).  The 1998 evaluated Fisheries Fish IBI score was 50 (fair).   The aquatic life use support was assessed as fully supported/threatened (=FST), based on a comparison of the F-IBI and BM-IBI scores with biological assessment criteria established specifically for the 2002 Section 305(b) report.  The biological assessment criteria were determined from a statistical analysis of data collected at stream ecoregion reference sites from 1994-2001.