Assessment Comments
Assessment based on results of (1) 2002-2005 IDNR/UHL biocriteria sampling data, (2) results of monitoring for indicator bacteria conducted at Site 29 of the Upper Iowa River Watershed, (3) EPA/IDNR fish contaminant monitoring in 2002 and (4) a 2006 summary of trout reproduction in Iowa streams prepared by the DNR Fisheries Bureau.
Basis for Assessment
Note: Prior to the current (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. This stream segment also remains identified as an “HQ” (high quality) water.]
SUMMARY: The presumptive Class A1 (primary contact recreation) uses are assessed (monitored) as “not supported” due to levels of indicator bacteria that exceed state water quality criteria. The presumptive Class A2 (secondary contact recreation) uses are assessed (monitored) as “fully supported.” The Class B(CW1) coldwater aquatic life uses remain assessed (monitored) as "fully supported" based on the IDNR/UHL biological sampling data and the May 2006 summary of trout reproduction in Iowa streams as prepared by the IDNR Fisheries Bureau. Fish consumption uses are assessed (monitored) as “fully supported” based on results of fish contaminant monitoring in 2002. Sources of data for this assessment include (1) results of IDNR/UHL biological monitoring from 2000-2005, (2) results of monitoring for indicator bacteria conducted at Site 29 of the Upper Iowa River Watershed (UIRW) project from April 2004 through October 2006, (3) results of U.S. EPA/IDNR fish contaminant (RAFT) monitoring near Churchtown in 2002, and (4) a 2006 summary of trout reproduction in Iowa streams prepared by the DNR Fisheries Bureau.
EXPLANATION: The presumptive Class A1 (primary contact recreation) uses were assessed (monitored) as impaired due to violations of Iowa’s water quality criteria for indicator bacteria. The presumptive Class A2 (secondary contact recreation) uses were assessed (monitored) as “fully supported.” Due to recent changes in Iowa’s Water Quality Standards, Iowa’s assessment methodology for indicator bacteria has changed. Prior to 2003, the Iowa WQ Standards contained a high-flow exemption for the Class A1 criterion for indicator bacteria (fecal coliforms) designed to protect primary contact recreation uses: the water quality criterion for fecal coliform bacteria (200 orgs/100 ml) did not apply "when the waters [were] materially affected by surface runoff." Due to a change in the Standards in July 2003, E. coli is now the indicator bacterium, and the high flow exemption was eliminated and replaced with language stating that the Class A criteria for E. coli apply when Class A1, A2, or A3 uses “can reasonably be expected to occur.” Because the IDNR Technical Advisory Committee on WQ Standards could not agree on what flow conditions would define periods when uses would not be reasonably expected to occur, all monitoring data generated for E. coli during the assessment period, regardless of flow conditions during sample collection, will be considered for determining support of Class A uses for purposes of Section 305(b) assessments and Section 303(d) listings.
The geometric mean of E. coli in the 21 samples collected at UIRW site 29 during the recreational seasons of 2004 through 2006 was 623 orgs/100 ml. This geometric mean far exceeds the Class A1 criterion of 126 orgs/100 ml but is just below the Class A2 criterion of 630 orgs/100 ml. Fourteen of the 21 samples (67%) exceeded Iowa’s Class A1 single-sample maximum criterion of 235 orgs/100 ml.; 4 of the 21 samples (19%) exceeded Iowa’s Class A2 single-sample maximum criterion (2,880 orgs/100 ml.). According to U.S. EPA guidelines for Section 305(b) reporting and IDNR’s assessment/listing methodology, if the geometric mean of E. coli is greater than the applicable state criterion, the primary contact recreation uses should be assessed as "not supported" (see pgs 3-33 to 3-35of U.S. EPA 1997b). Also, according to U.S. EPA guidelines for Section 305(b) reporting, if more than 10% of samples exceed the single-sample maximum criterion, the primary contact recreation uses should be assessed as "partially supported" (see pgs 3-33 to 3-35of U.S. EPA 1997b). According to IDNR’s assessment/listing methodology, the results from UIRW site 29 suggest that significantly greater than 10% of the samples exceed IDNR’s Class A single-sample maximum criterion, but that the number of samples exceeding the Class A2 single-sample maximum criterion is not significantly greater than 10%. Thus, because both the Class A2 geometric mean and single-sample criteria were met, these results suggest that the Class A2 uses should be assessed as “fully supported”.
The assessment of the Class B(CW1) aquatic life uses was based on data collected in 2002-2005 as part of the IDNR/UHL stream biocriteria 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 and that were collected in the stream sampling reach. For sites that only have benthic macroinvertebrate data, scores of 3/4 or 4/4 are Fully Supporting (FS), sites that score 1/4 or 2/4 are Partially Supporting (PS), and sites that score 0/4 are Not Supporting (NS). There were seven samples collected from two sites between 2002 and 2005. The average CW indicator benthic macroinvertebrate score was 3.29/4. The aquatic life use support was assessed (monitored) as Fully Supporting (=FS), 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 1994-2004 and with assistance from the IDNR Fisheries Bureau.
In addition, based on an updated summary of trout reproduction in Iowa streams prepared by the DNR Fisheries Bureau in May 2006, the Class B(CW1) uses are assessed as "fully supported". According to the updated summary, French 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 without any stocking. This assessment is consistent with previous assessments of the ability of this stream to support natural reproduction of trout.
Fish consumption uses remains assessed (monitored) as “fully supporting” based on results of U.S. EPA / IDNR fish tissue (RAFT) monitoring near Churchtown in 2002. The composite samples of fillets from white sucker and brown trout collected in 2002 had extremely low levels of contaminants. Neither sample contained levels of contaminants that approached even one-half the respective FDA action levels or IDNR levels of concern. Levels of primary contaminants in the composite sample of white sucker fillets were as follows: mercury: 0.022 ppm; total PCBs: <0.09 ppm; and technical chlordane: <0.03 ppm. Levels of primary contaminants in the composite sample of brown trout fillets were as follows: mercury: 0.028 ppm; total PCBs: <0.09 ppm; and technical chlordane: <0.03 ppm.
