Assessment Comments
Assessment remains based on 2005 IDNR/UHL REMAP sampling data: 2/4 coldwater biological indicators met the criteria - Partially Supporting (PS).
Basis for Assessment
[Note: Prior to the 2008 Section 305(b) cycle, this stream segment was designated only for Class B(CW) aquatic life uses. Due to changes in Iowa’s surface water classification that were approved by U.S. EPA in February 2008 (see http://www.iowadnr.com/water/standards/files/06mar_swc.pdf), this segment is also now presumptively designated for Class A1 (primary contact recreation) and Class A2 (secondary contact recreation) uses. This segment remains designated for coldwater aquatic life use (now termed Class B(CW1) uses), and for fish consumption uses (now termed Class HH (human health/fish consumption) uses.]
SUMMARY: The presumptive Class A1 (primary contact recreation) uses and the presumptive Class A2 (secondary contact recreation) uses remain "not assessed" due to the lack of information upon which to base an assessment. The Class B(CW1) coldwater aquatic life uses remain assessed (evaluated) as "partially supported" based on results of biological monitoring in 2005. Fish consumption uses remain not assessed due to the lack of fish contaminant monitoring in this stream segment.
EXPLANATION: The assessment of the Class B(CW1) coldwater aquatic life uses was based on data collected in 2005 as part of the DNR/UHL stream REMAP project. A series of four (4) coldwater biological indicators, which reflect stream water quality and habitat integrity, were calculated from the biocriteria sampling data. The coldwater biological indicators are based on the numbers and types of coldwater benthic macroinvertebrate taxa that were collected the stream sampling reach. Sites that do not receive any type of trout stocking are scored on the benthic macroinvertebrate data only. Non-trout stocking sites that score 3 or 4 are Fully Supporting (FS), sites that score 1 or 2 are Partially Supporting (PS), and sites that score 0 are Not Supporting (NS). The 2005 REMAP coldwater biological indicator score was 2/4. The aquatic life use support was assessed (evaluated) as partially supporting (=PS), based on a comparison of the coldwater biological indicator score with biological assessment criteria established for this Section 305(b) report. The coldwater biological indicators were determined from a statistical analysis of data collected at coldwater stream ecoregion reference sites from 1994-2008 and with assistance from the IDNR Fisheries Bureau.
This aquatic life assessment is now considered "evaluated" based on a change in the 2010 IDNR assessment methodology. IDNR now requires a segment have two or more biological samples collected from the segment in multiple years between 2004 and 2008 to be considered “monitored”. This segment had a single sample collected in 2007. Despite this change in assessment methodology and type, this waterbody was remains in IR Category 5b and remains on Iowa’s 2010 Section 303(d) list of impaired waters.
