Ballard Creek IA 03-SSK-3053

unnamed tributary (T82N R24W Sec15 Story County) to headwaters (T82N R25W Sec13 Boone County)

Assessment Cycle

2022

Release Status

Final

Data Collection Period

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.

Overall IR Category: 5 - Water is impaired or threatened and a TMDL is needed.
Trend: Unknown

Created: 1/10/2022 10:05:38 AM
Updated: 1/10/2022 10:06:21 AM

Assessment conducted in accordance with Iowa's 2022 IR methodology

Use Support

Class A1

Recreation

Primary contact

Presumptive Use

Not Assessed

Class BWW1

Aquatic Life

Warm Water Type 1

Presumptive Use

Not Supported

Impairments

Support Level

Not Supported

Impairment Code

5b - Biological impairment or pollutant-caused fish kill - unknown source. No administrative action.

Cause Magnitude

Slight

Status

Continuing

Source

Unknown: Source Unknown

Source Confidence

N/A

Cycle Added

2018

Impairment Rationale

Pollutant-caused fish kill

Data Source

Fish kill investigation: Iowa DNR

TMDL Priority

Tier IV

Impairment Delistings

No delistings for this assessment cycle.

Documentation

Assessment Summary

The presumptive Class BWW1 use remains assessed as "not supported" due to a fish kill investigation. All other designated uses were "not assessed."

Assessment Explanation

Presumptive Class A1 - No Data

Presumptive Class BWW1 - Fish kill Assessment:

The presumptive Class BWW1 aquatic life use assessment based on the 2002 fish kill placed this segment in Category 5b. The fish kill was caused by a “pollutant” or was suspected to be caused by a “pollutant”; therefore, the presumptive Class BWW1 use was considered impaired. Because the source of the pollutant was not identified and/or the enforcement actions taken against the responsible party have not been resolved, the presumptive Class BWW1 use was placed in Category 5b. Due to uncertainty regarding the recovery of the aquatic life following the fish kill, any existing fish kill 5b impairment will remain in Category 5b until more recent sampling has shown recovery of the aquatic community or the responsible party has paid restitution.

Details about the 2002 fish kill can be found here: https://programs.iowadnr.gov/fishkill/Events/533

Monitoring and Methods

Assessment Key Dates

8/24/2002

Fish Kill

Methods

120

Surveys of fish and game biologists/other professionals

140

Incidence of spills and/or fish kills

150

Monitoring data more than 5 years old