Bear Creek IA 01-UIA-251

mouth (S1 T99N R6W Allamakee Co.) to confluence with N. Bear Cr. in S25 T100N R7W Winneshiek 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 2020 - 2022
Stream/River Water Quality Data	CY 2020 - 2022
Lake Water Quality Data	CY 2018 - 2022
Biological Sampling Data	CY 2018 - 2022*
Fish Kill Data	CY 2018 - 2022
Fish Tissue Sampling Data	CY 2018 - 2022
Continuous Dissolved Oxygen Sampling Data	CY 2018 - 2022
*Biological sites sampled in both 2017 and 2021 were also assessed.

Open Segment Map
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Cycle: 2024
Release Status: Final
Overall IR: 5 - Water is impaired or threatened and a TMDL is needed.
Trend: Unknown
Created: 11/1/2023 8:13:43 AM
Updated: 1/8/2024 2:52:59 PM

Use Support

Class A1

Presumptive Use

Recreation - Primary contact

Not Supported

Bacteria: Indicator Bacteria- E. coli

Support Level

Not Supported

Impairment Code

5p - Impairment occurs on a waterbody with a presumptive A1 or B(WW1) use.

Cause Magnitude

Slight

Status

Continuing

Source

Unknown: Source Unknown

Source Confidence

N/A

Cycle Added

2008

Impairment Rationale

Geometric mean criterion exceeded

Data Source

Watershed project monitoring

TMDL Priority

Tier III

Class BWW1

Aquatic Life - Warm Water Type 1

Fully Supported

Class HH

Human Health -

Not Assessed

Impairment Delistings

No delistings for this assessment cycle.

Documentation

Assessment Summary

The presumptive Class A1 use was assessed as “not supported” due to levels of indicator bacteria (E. coli) that exceeded state water quality criteria. The Class BWW1 use was assessed as “fully supported” based on a DNR Fisheries Bureau report on trout reproduction. All other designated uses were “not assessed.” Although not designated for the coldwater aquatic life use in the Iowa Water Quality Standards, part of this segment is identified as a trout stream by the DNR Fisheries Bureau.

Assessment Explanation

Data Sources:

Data Source	Data Source ID	Data Type	Data Age	Site ID	Site Name	Site Description
Iowa DNR	6	WQ	CY 2012-2014	190050002	Bear Creek - Site 25

Presumptive Class A1 - Indicator Bacteria: Historical

Site ID	Data Source ID	# Samples / # Years	2012 Geometric Mean	2013 Geometric Mean	2014 Geometric Mean	Annual Geometric Mean Violation	# Violations	% Violations	Significantly >10% Violations	Assessment Type	Support Level
190050002	6	20/3	130.8	336.5	340.1	Yes	9	45%	Yes	Evaluated	Not

Class BWW1 - Binomial Parameters: Historical

Site ID	Data Source ID	Parameter Name	# Samples / # Years	Maximum Value	Mean Value	Median Value	# Acute / Chronic Violations	% Acute/ Chronic Violations	Significantly >10% Violations	Assessment Type	Support Level
190050002	6	Ammonia	1/1	0.05	0.05	0.05	0 / 0	0% / 0%	No	Evaluated	Full
190050002	6	pH	14/2	8.73	8.49	8.46	0 / 0	0% / 0%	No	Evaluated	Full
190050002	6	Temperature	14/2	19.9	15.17	15.85	0 / 0	0% / 0	No	Evaluated	Full

Class BWW1 - Trout Natural Reproduction:

Even though Bear Creek is classified as a BWW1 stream, based on the January 2024 trout reproduction in Iowa streams summary prepared by the DNR Fisheries Bureau, the Class BWW1 aquatic life use of Bear 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 HH - No Data

Monitoring and Methods

Assessment Key Dates

4/3/2012

Monitoring Start

10/7/2014

Monitoring End

1/1/2024

Biological Monitoring

Methods

120

Surveys of fish and game biologists/other professionals

200

Physical/Chemical Monitoring

330

Fish surveys

420

Indicator bacteria monitoring