2016 assessment for Paint Creek

Paint Creek IA 01-UIA-227

confluence with Little Paint Cr. (S32 T97N R3W Allamakee Co.) to road crossing in S18 T97N R4W Allamakee Co.

2016
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 2012 - 2014
Stream/River Water Quality Data	CY 2012 - 2014
Lake Water Quality Data	CY 2010 - 2014
Biological Sampling Data	CY 2010 - 2014*
Fish Kill Data	CY 2010 - 2014
Fish Tissue Sampling Data	CY 2010 - 2014
Continuous Dissolved Oxygen Sampling Data	CY 2010 - 2014
*Biological sites sampled in both 2009 and 2013 were also assessed.

Open Segment Map
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Overall IR

2 - Some of the designated uses are met but there is insufficient data to determine if remaining designated uses are met.

Trend

Unknown

Created

5/10/2016 11:09:11 AM by

Updated

10/5/2016 8:55:41 AM by

Use Support

Class A1

Presumptive Use

Recreation - Primary contact

Not Assessed

Class A2

Presumptive Use

Recreation - Secondary contact

Not Assessed

Class BCW1

Aquatic Life - Cold Water Type 1

Fully Supported

Class HH

Human Health -

Not Assessed

General Use

General Use water -

Not Assessed

303(d) Delistings for this Cycle

No delistings for this assessment cycle.

Documentation

Assessment Summary

The presumptive Class A1 (primary contact recreation) uses and presumptive Class A2 (secondary contact recreation) uses remain "not assessed" (IR 3a) due to the lack of data for indicator bacteria upon which to base an assessment. The Class B(CW1) coldwater aquatic life uses remain assessed (monitored) as "fully supported" (IR 2a) based on the January 2016 summary of trout reproduction in Iowa streams as prepared by the IDNR Fisheries Bureau. Fish consumption (Class HH) uses remain "not assessed" (IR 3a).

Assessment Explanation

Based on an updated summary of trout reproduction in Iowa streams prepared by the DNR Fisheries Bureau in January 2016, the Class B(CW1) uses are assessed as "fully supported". According to the updated summary, Paint Creek is in the group of Iowa coldwater streams that supports natural reproduction of trout. Based on results of surveys by the IDNR Fisheries Bureau, this stream is placed in the category of Iowa trout streams that exhibit fairly consistent natural reproduction and maintain a viable population of the listed species [brown trout] without any stocking (a Category I trout stream).

Fish consumption uses remain "not assessed" due to lack of fish tissue monitoring in this stream reach.

Monitoring and Methods

Assessment Key Dates

1/1/2016

Biological Monitoring

Methods

120

Surveys of fish and game biologists/other professionals

330

Fish surveys