South Bear Creek IA 01-UIA-252

confluence with N. Bear Cr. (S25 T100N R7W) to spring source (Mestad Spring) in S29 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 2018 - 2020
Stream/River Water Quality Data	CY 2018 - 2020
Lake Water Quality Data	CY 2016 - 2020
Biological Sampling Data	CY 2016 - 2020*
Fish Kill Data	CY 2016 - 2020
Fish Tissue Sampling Data	CY 2016 - 2020
Continuous Dissolved Oxygen Sampling Data	CY 2016 - 2020
*Biological sites sampled in both 2015 and 2019 were also assessed.

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Cycle: 2022
Release Status: Final
Overall IR: 5 - Water is impaired or threatened and a TMDL is needed.
Trend: Unknown
Created: 1/5/2022 2:32:21 PM
Updated: 2/11/2022 3:29:49 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

2016

Impairment Rationale

Geometric mean criterion exceeded

Data Source

Watershed project monitoring

TMDL Priority

Tier III

Class A2

Recreation - Secondary contact

Fully Supported

Class BCW1

Aquatic Life - Cold 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 remains assessed as “partially supported” due to levels of indicator bacteria (E. coli) that exceeded state water quality criteria. The presumptive Class A2 use remains assessed as “fully supported” based on indicator bacteria sampling. The Class BCW1 was assessed as “fully supported” based on the trout reproduction in Iowa streams summary prepared by the DNR Fisheries Bureau and on limited water quality monitoring data. All other designated uses were “not assessed”.

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	191910014	South Bear – Site 23	Site 23 of the Upper Iowa River Watershed project

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
191910014	6	21/3	50	135	125	Yes	6	29%	Yes	Evaluated	Not

Class A2 - 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
191910014	6	21/3	50	135	125	No	1	5%	No	Evaluated	Full

Presumptive Class A - pH:

Site ID	Data Source ID	# Samples / # Years	Maximum Value	Mean Value	Median Value	# Violations	% Violations	Significantly >10% Violations	Assessment Type	Support Level
191910014	6	14 / 2	9.14	8.7	8.7	2	14%	No	Evaluated	Full

Class BCW1 - Conventional Parameters:

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
191910014	6	Ammonia	14 / 2	0.33	0.07	0.05	0 / 0	0% / 0%	No	Evaluated	Full
191910014	6	pH	14 / 2	9.14	8.7	8.7	0 / 2	0% / 14%	No	Evaluated	Full
191910014	6	Temperature	14 / 2	19.3	14.1	14.7	0 / 0	0% / 0%	No	Evaluated	Full

Class BCW1 – Trout Natural Reproduction:

Based on the January 2021 summary of trout reproduction in Iowa streams prepared by the DNR Fisheries Bureau, the Class BCW1 coldwater aquatic life use of South 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

Fixed Monitoring Start Date

10/7/2014

Fixed Monitoring End Date

1/1/2021

Biological Monitoring

Methods

120

Surveys of fish and game biologists/other professionals

220

Non-fixed station physical/chemical monitoring (conventional pollutant only)

330

Fish surveys

420

Indicator bacteria monitoring