Dibble Creek IA 01-TRK-202

Assessment Comments

1992 stream use assessment in Fayette county.

Basis for Assessment

Used a review of the field sheet from the May 1992 DNR stream use assessment in Fayette County to downgrade the assessment of support of the Class B(LR) aquatic life uses from FST to PS due to (1) relatively low fish community diversity (4 species from 2 families) for streams in the Driftless Area ecoregion, with notes on field sheet indicating that few fish were caught in 700 feet of seining, (2) presence of less than a majority of the expected fish taxa (1 of 9) for streams in this ecoregion, and (3) indications on field sheet of moderate impacts due to frequent pasturing of the riparian corridor and to frequent streambank erosion; also noted is "cow dung" in the stream.   Despite these moderate impacts, the field sheet indicates good quality habitat features, including diverse substrates, presence of several pool/riffle sequences, and good low flow characteristics.  Assessment results indicating low fish community diversity may have been influenced by difficulty seining rocky substrates.  Follow-up monitoring is needed to better define the aquatic communities and habitats of this stream and to determine the degree to which the Class B(LR) uses may be impaired.