Wexford Creek IA 01-UIA-231

mouth (S5 T97N R2W Allamakee Co.) to west line of S25 T98N R3W Allamakee Co.

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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Cycle: 2016
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.
Trend: Unknown
Created: 10/4/2016 2:06:18 PM
Updated: 10/4/2016 2:06:18 PM

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

Impairment Delistings

No delistings for this assessment cycle.

Documentation

Assessment Summary

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

Assessment Explanation

The Class A1 (primary contact recreation) uses and the Class A2 (secondary contact recreation) uses remain "not assessed" due to the lack of data for indicator bacteria upon which to base an assessment.

The Class B(CW1) coldwater aquatic life uses are assessed (evaluated) as “fully supporting” based on an updated summary of trout reproduction in Iowa streams prepared by the IDNR Fisheries Bureau in January 2016. According to the updated summary, Wexford 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 brown trout without any stocking (a Category I 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