Iowa DNR
ADBNet

Water Quality Assessments

Impaired Waters List

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
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
Not Assessed
Class BWW1
Not Supported
Fish Kill: Caused By Animal Waste
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