Iowa DNR
Iowa DNR
ADBNet
Water Quality Assessments
Impaired Waters List

Clear Creek IA 01-UIA-235

mouth (Allamakee Co.) to west line of S25 T99N R4W Allamakee Co.

Cycle
2020
Release Status
Final
Overall IR
3 - Insufficient data exist to determine whether any designated uses are met.
Trend
Unknown
Created
8/21/2020 2:19:04 PM
Updated
10/15/2020 9:57:26 AM
Use Support
Class A1
Recreation - Primary contact
Not Assessed
Class A2
Recreation - Secondary contact
Not Assessed
Class BCW1
Aquatic Life - Cold Water Type 1
WINOFI
Impairment Code
3b-c - Use potentially biologically impaired based on calibrated IBI metrics.
Cause Magnitude
Slight
Status
Continuing
Source
Unknown: Source Unknown
Source Confidence
Low
Cycle Added
2016
Impairment Rationale
Low Biotic Index
Data Source
Biological monitoring: Iowa DNR WQMA
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 BCW1 use was assessed as "partially supported" based on biological sampling data. All other designated uses were "not assessed".

Assessment Explanation

Sources of Data:

Data Source

Data Source ID

Data Type

Data Age

Site ID

Site Name

Site Description

Iowa DNR

6

BIO

See Below

666

Clear Creek

Lansing - CCr1


Presumptive Class A1 - No Data


Presumptive Class A2 - No Data


Class BCW1 - Biological Sampling:

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:

BioNet Site ID

Date

Drainage Area (mi2)

Ecoregion

Major Drainage/Thermal

BM Sample Gear

CBI score

CBI Class

CBI BIT

CBI Pass/ Fail

666

7/19/17

11

52b

MS/CW

Hess

54

NA

60

Fail

Overall Assessment:

Community

Assessment Type

Assessment Result

Support Level

Earned IR Category

Actual IR Category

Reason

Benthic Macroinvertebrates

Evaluated

Fail (0/1)

Partial

3bc

3bc

Assessment is evaluated because it was based on a single sample.


Class BCW1 – Trout Natural Reproduction:

In contrast to the benthic macroinvertebrate data, based on the January 2020 trout reproduction in Iowa streams summary prepared by the DNR Fisheries Bureau, the Class BCW1 coldwater aquatic life use of Clear Creek was assessed as "fully supported". According to the updated summary, this stream was placed in Category I: streams that exhibit consistent natural reproduction and maintain a wild population of one or more trout species without any stocking.


Class BCW1 – Continuous Monitoring Data:

The results of continuous dissolved oxygen (DO) and temperature monitoring in 2013 for the DNR/SHL coldwater stream sampling project also did not suggest impairment of Class BCW1 uses. The lowest DO concentration recorded in 71 days of continuous monitoring was 7.0 mg/L. The daily DO minimum concentration failed to meet the 24-hour DO criterion (5 mg/L) and the 16-hour DO criterion (7 mg/L) in 0 of 71 days each. The percentage exceeding (0%) was less than (passing) the 10% impairment threshold used to assess conventional water quality parameters. The associated statistical analysis confidence level was high (>90%). The maximum stream temperature recorded during the sensor deployment period was 20.9 degrees (C). The BCW1 temperature criterion of 20 (C) was exceeded in 5 of 71 days. The percentage exceeding (7%) was less than (passing) the 10% impairment threshold; however, the statistical analysis confidence level (< 90%) was not high. Based on these data, the BCW1 aquatic life use was assessed as fully supporting with respect to DO and temperature. The assessment type is “evaluated” because it is based on data collected from a single year within the current data assessment period.


Class HH - No Data



Monitoring and Methods
Assessment Key Dates
1/1/2020
Biological Monitoring
7/19/2017
Biological Monitoring
7/2/2013
Non-fixed Monitoring Start Date
9/10/2013
Non-fixed Monitoring End Date
Methods
120
Surveys of fish and game biologists/other professionals
150
Monitoring data more than 5 years old
222
Non-fixed-station monitoring (conventional during key seasons and flows)
315
Regional reference site approach
320
Benthic macroinvertebrate surveys
330
Fish surveys