Doe Creek IA 01-VOL-300

Assessment Comments

Assessment based on 2012 IDNR/SHL biological sampling: FIBI = 63 (good), BMIBI = 76 (excellent). FIBI BIC = 52, BMIBI BIC = 61

Basis for Assessment

SUMMARY: The presumptive Class A1 (primary contact recreation) uses are “not assessed” (IR 3a) due to the lack of water quality information upon which to base an assessment.  The presumptive Class B(WW2) aquatic life uses of the waterbody are assessed (evaluated) as “fully supporting" (IR 2a) based on results of IDNR/SHL biological sampling conducted in 2012.  

EXPLANATION: The (evaluated) assessment of the presumptive Class B(WW2) aquatic life uses was based on data collected in 2012 as part of the IDNR/SHL headwater stream sampling project.  A series of biological metrics which reflect stream water quality and habitat integrity were calculated from the biocriteria sampling data.  The biological metrics are based on the numbers and types of benthic macroinvertebrate taxa and fish species that were collected in the stream sampling reach.  The biological metrics were combined to make a fish community index of biotic integrity (FIBI) and a benthic macroinvertebrate index (BMIBI).  The indexes rank the biological integrity of a stream sampling reach on a rising scale from 0 (minimum) to 100 (maximum).  The 2012 FIBI score was 63 (good) and the BMIBI score was 76 (excellent).  The aquatic life use support was assessed (evaluated) as fully supporting (=FS), based on a comparison of the FIBI and BMIBI scores with biological impairment criteria (BIC) established from a statistical analysis of data collected at stream ecoregion reference sites from 1994-2008.  The FIBI BIC for this ecoregion is 52 and the BMIBI BIC for this ecoregion is 61.  Even though this site passed the FIBI and BMIBI BICs, it is uncertain as to whether or not this segment is meeting the aquatic life criteria because it is a small headwater stream and doesn’t fall in the calibrated watershed size.