West Okoboji Lake - Smiths Bay IA 06-LSR-2067

southeastern bay of West Okoboji Lake in Sections 19 20 29 30 of T99N R36W Dickinson Co.; outlet to East Okoboji Lake

Open Data Collection Period Modal

For purposes of developing stream/river water quality assessments for integrated reporting, three years of water quality data are typically used for both conventional pollutant parameters (e.g., indicator bacteria) and the less frequently monitored toxic parameters (e.g., toxic metals). Since the 2004 IR cycle, DNR has used a three-year data gathering period for streams, rivers, and beaches. For most assessments, the use of three years of data increases the number of samples upon which the decision on use support is based and helps address the problem of weather-related year-to-year fluctuations in water quality.

Due to the lower sampling frequency in Iowa’s ambient lake, biological, fish kill, and fish tissue monitoring programs, five years of data are used for developing IR assessments and for identifying Section 303(d) listings.

Data Type	Data Timeframe
Beach Sampling Data	CY 2016 - 2018
Stream/River Water Quality Data	CY 2016 - 2018
Lake Water Quality Data	CY 2014 - 2018
Biological Sampling Data	CY 2014 - 2018*
Fish Kill Data	CY 2014 - 2018
Fish Tissue Sampling Data	CY 2014 - 2018
Continuous Dissolved Oxygen Sampling Data	CY 2014 - 2018
*Biological sites sampled in both 2013 and 2017 were also assessed.

Open Segment Map
View assessment methodology in new window

Cycle: 2020
Release Status: Final
Overall IR: 2 - Some of the designated uses are met but there is insufficient data to determine if remaining designated uses are met.
Trophic: Mesotrophic
Trend: Stable
Created: 8/31/2020 10:06:28 AM
Updated: 10/15/2020 11:20:44 AM

Use Support

Class A1

Recreation - Primary contact

Fully Supported

Class BLW

Aquatic Life - Lakes and wetlands

WINOFI

Exotic/Invasive Species: Exotic Species

Support Level

Further Investigation Needed

Impairment Code

3b - Use potentially impaired based on an evaluated assessment.

Cause Magnitude

Slight

Status

Continuing

Source

Other: Exotic Species

Source Confidence

High

Cycle Added

2016

Impairment Rationale

Adverse impacts on plant/animal communities

Data Source

Biological monitoring: Iowa DNR Fisheries

Class C

Drinking Water -

Not Assessed

Class HH

Human Health -

Not Assessed

General Use

General Use water -

Not Assessed

Impairment Delistings

No delistings for this assessment cycle.

Documentation

Assessment Summary

The Class A1 uses are assessed (monitored) as “fully supported.” The Class BLW uses are assessed (evaluated) as “partially supported” due to an invasive species introduction (Zebra Mussels). The Class C uses are "not assessed" based on a lack of enough data upon which to base an assessment. Class HH uses are considered “not assessed” (IR 3a) due to the age of the fish tissue sampling data upon which the previous assessment (“fully supported”) was based.

Assessment Explanation

Sources of Data:

Data Source	Data Source ID	Data Type	Data Age	Site ID	Site Name	Site Description
Iowa DNR	6	WQ	CY 2014-2018	22300009	West Okoboji Lake	Lake Deep Point

Class A1 - Indicator Bacteria: No Data

Class A1 - pH:

Site ID	Data Source ID	# Samples / # Years	Maximum Value	Mean Value	Median Value	# Violations	% Violations	Significantly >10% Violations	Assessment Type	Support Level
22300009	6	15 / 5	8.5	8.4	8.4	0	0%	NO	Monitored	Full

Class A1 - Lake TSI's

Site ID	Data Source ID	Parameter Name	# Samples / # Years	Minimum Value	Maximum Value	Median Value	Median TSI Violation	Assessment Type	Support Level
22300009	6	Chlorophyll a TSI	15 / 5	31	58	37	NO	Monitored	Full
22300009	6	Secchi TSI	15 / 5	27	46	35	NO	Monitored	Full
22300009	6	Total Phosphorus TSI	15 / 5	33	50	44	NA	NA	NA
22300009	6	Inorganic suspended solids	15 / 5	0.4	5	1	NA	NA	NA

Class BLW - Conventional Parameters:

Site ID	Data Source ID	Parameter Name	# Samples / # Years	Maximum Value	Mean Value	Median Value	# Acute / Chronic Violations	% Acute/ Chronic Violations	Significantly >10% Violations	Assessment Type	Support Level
22300009	6	Ammonia	15 / 5	0.293	0.05	0.01	0 / 0	0% / 0%	NO	Monitored	Full
22300009	6	Dissolved oxygen	15 / 5	12.8	9.1	8.8	NA / 0	NA / 0%	NO	Monitored	Full
22300009	6	pH	15 / 5	8.5	8.4	8.4	0 / NA	0% / NA	NO	Monitored	Full
22300009	6	Temperature	15 / 5	25.6	20.9	22	0 / 0	0% / 0%	NO	Monitored	Full

Class BLW - Lake Planktonic Cyanobacteria:

Site ID	Data Source ID	# Samples	Maximum Cyanobacteria Wet Mass	Maximum Cyanobacteria % Composition	Median Cyanobacteria Wet Mass	Median Cyanobacteria % Composition	Median Cyanobacteria Wet Mass = 75th Percentile	Assessment Type	Support Level
22300009	6	11	54.442	99.1 %	2.667	96.1 %	NO	Evaluated	NA

Class BLW - Additional Information

The Class BLW uses are assessed (evaluated) as “partially supported” based on information from the DNR Fisheries Bureau and results from the ISU lake surveys. Based on information from the DNR Fisheries Bureau, this lake was infested with Zebra mussels in 2012 and the population exploded in 2015. This invasive species will likely cause water quality to degrade in the future. This potential impairment is not appropriate for Iowa’s Section 303(d) list of impaired waters (Integrated Report Category 5) but is appropriate for IR Category 3b of Iowa’s Integrated Report and Iowa’s list of waters in need of further investigation.

Class C - Conventional Parameters:

Site ID	Data Source ID	Parameter Name	# Samples / # Years	Maximum Value	Mean Value	Median Value	# Violations	% Violations	Significantly >10% Violations	Assessment Type	Support Level
22300009	6	Inorganic nitrogen (nitrate and nitrite)	15 / 5	0.1	0.03	0.03	0	0%	NO	Monitored	Full

The Class C uses are not assessed due to the lack of data sufficient for developing a valid assessment of support of the Class C uses.

Class HH - No Data

Monitoring and Methods

Assessment Key Dates

6/3/2014

Fixed Monitoring Start Date

9/3/2018

Fixed Monitoring End Date

Methods

120

Surveys of fish and game biologists/other professionals

222

Non-fixed-station monitoring (conventional during key seasons and flows)

340

Primary producer surveys (phytoplankton/periphyton/macrophyton)