Mad Creek IA 01-NEM-1902

Assessment Comments

Assessment remains based on 2004 IDNR/SHL biological sampling data: FIBI = 48 (fair), BMIBI = 71 (good). FIBI BIC = 36; BMIBI BIC = 51.

Basis for Assessment

[Note:  Prior to the 2008 Section 305(b) cycle, this stream segment was classified only for general uses.   Due to changes in Iowa’s surface water classification that were approved by U.S.  EPA in February 2008, this segment is now presumptively designated for Class A1 (primary contact recreation) uses and for Class B(WW1) aquatic life uses.   According to the Iowa Water Quality Standards, all perennial rivers and streams and all intermittent streams with perennial pools that are not specifically listed in the Iowa surface water classification are designated as Class A1 and Class B(WW1) waters.   Thus, for the current (2014) assessment, the available water quality monitoring data will be compared to the applicable Class A1 and Class B(WW1) water quality criteria.]

SUMMARY/EXPLANATION:  The presumptive Class A1 (primary contact recreation) uses remain “not assessed” due to the lack of information upon which to base an assessment (IR Category 3a).  

The presumptive Class B(WW1) aquatic life uses remain assessed (evaluated) as “fully supported” based on biological monitoring in 2004 (IR Category 2a).   This evaluated biological assessment was based on data collected in 2004 as part of the IDNR/SHL stream REMAP project.   A series of biological metrics that 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 collected in the stream sampling reach.   The biological metrics were combined to make a fish community index of biotic integrity (FIBI) and a benthic macroinvertebrate index (BMIBI).   The indexes rank the biological integrity of a stream sampling reach on a rising scale from 0 (minimum) to 100 (maximum).   The 2004 FIBI score was 48 (fair) and the BMIBI score was 71 (good).   The aquatic life use support was assessed (evaluated) as fully supporting (= FS), based on a comparison of the FIBI and BMIBI scores with biological impairment criteria (BIC) established from a statistical analysis of data collected at stream ecoregion reference sites from 1994-2008.   The FIBI BIC for this ecoregion is 35 and the BMIBI BIC for this ecoregion is 51.   Even though this site passed both the FIBI (1/1) and BMIBI BICs (1/1), it is uncertain as to whether or not this segment is meeting the aquatic life criteria because it is a small presumed BWW1 (formally general use) stream and doesn’t fall in the calibrated watershed size.