Iowa DNR
Iowa DNR
ADBNet
Water Quality Assessments
Impaired Waters List

Little Volga River IA 01-VOL-328

mouth (north line of S2 T92N R9W Fayette Co.) to Hwy 150 bridge crossing at Maynard at south line of S14 T92N R9W Fayette Co.

Cycle
2020
Release Status
Final
Overall IR
5 - Water is impaired or threatened and a TMDL is needed.
Trend
Unknown
Created
6/15/2020 8:40:32 AM
Updated
10/14/2020 11:06:28 AM
Use Support
Class A1
Recreation - Primary contact
Not Supported
Support Level
Not Supported
Impairment Code
5p - Impairment occurs on a waterbody with a presumptive A1 or B(WW1) use.
Cause Magnitude
High
Status
Continuing
Source
Unknown: Source Unknown
Source Confidence
N/A
Cycle Added
2014
Impairment Rationale
Geometric mean criterion exceeded
Data Source
Watershed project monitoring
TMDL Priority
Tier III
Class BWW1
Aquatic Life - Warm Water Type 1
Partially Supported
Support Level
Partially Supported
Impairment Code
4d - Pollutant-caused fish kill. No TMDL needed and administrative action taken against responsible party.
Cause Magnitude
Moderate
Status
New
Source
Spills/Dumping: Accidental release/spill
Source Confidence
N/A
Cycle Added
2020
Impairment Rationale
Pollutant-caused fish kill
Data Source
Fish kill investigation: Iowa DNR
Class HH
Human Health -
Partially Supported
Support Level
Partially Supported
Impairment Code
5a - Pollutant-caused impairment. TMDL needed.
Cause Magnitude
Slight
Status
Continuing
Source
Unknown: Source Unknown
Source Confidence
N/A
Cycle Added
2008
Impairment Rationale
Fish consumption advisory in effect: no more than 1 meal/week
Data Source
Fish contaminant monitoring: Iowa DNR
TMDL Priority
Tier IV
General Use
General Use water -
Not Assessed
Impairment Delistings
No delistings for this assessment cycle.
Documentation
Assessment Summary

The presumptive Class A1 use remains assessed as “not supported” due to violations of Iowa water quality criteria for indicator bacteria (E. coli). The Class BWW1 use was assessed as “partially supported” based on a fish kill investigation. The Class HH use remains assessed as “partially supported” due to the existence of a one meal per week consumption advisory for smallmouth bass in this segment.

Assessment Explanation

Sources of Data:

Data Source

Data Source ID

Data Type

Data Age

Site ID

BioNet Site ID

Site Name

Site Description

Iowa DNR

6

WQ

CY 2012-2014

15330008

Little Volga R @ Neon Road


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

15330008

6

23 / 3

2069

784

399

Yes

20

87%

Yes

Evaluated

Not


Class BWW1 - Conventional 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

15330008

6

Ammonia

13 / 2

0.2

0.07

0.05

0 / 0

0% / 0%

No

Evaluated

Full

15330008

6

Chloride

19 / 3

39

31.5

30

0 / 0

0% / 0%

No

Evaluated

Full

15330008

6

Dissolved oxygen

23 / 3

12

8.4

8

NA / 0

NA / 0%

No

Evaluated

Full

15330008

6

pH

23 / 3

8.6

8.1

8.1

0 / NA

0% / NA

No

Evaluated

Full

15330008

6

Temperature

22 / 3

26.1

14.5

14.05

0 / 0

0% / 0%

No

Evaluated

Full

Class BWW1 - Fish Kill:

The Class BWW1 use assessment based on the 2017 fish kill placed this segment in Category 4d. The fish kill was caused by a “pollutant” or was suspected to be caused by a “pollutant”; therefore, the Class BWW1 use was considered impaired. However, because restitution for the fish killed was received, the Class BWW1 use was placed in Category 4d (impaired but TMDL not required). DNR feels that (1) TMDLs should not be required for a fish kill caused by a one-time illegal or unauthorized release of a pollutant where enforcement action was taken and (2) enforcement action is more appropriate and effective for addressing a spill-related impairment than the TMDL process.

Details about the 2017 fish kill can be found here:https://programs.iowadnr.gov/fishkill/Events/936

Class HH - Consumption Advisory:

This segment is included in the Volga River fish tissue consumption advisory – see https://www.iowadnr.gov/Environmental-Protection/Water-Quality/Water-Monitoring/Fish-Tissue. This advisory recommends consumption of no more than one meal per week of smallmouth bass from this river segment. This advisory extends from the town of Volga upriver to the headwaters of the Volga River near Hawkeye in Fayette County and includes the Little Volga River and North Branch Volga River. The existence of a one-meal-per-week consumption advisory indicates that the Class HH use should be assessed as “partially supported.”

Monitoring and Methods
Assessment Key Dates
4/4/2012
Fixed Monitoring Start Date
11/5/2014
Fixed Monitoring End Date
8/1/2008
Fish Tissue Monitoring
8/28/2012
Fish Tissue Monitoring
8/29/2014
Fish Tissue Monitoring
8/7/2017
Fish Kill
Methods
120
Surveys of fish and game biologists/other professionals
140
Incidence of spills and/or fish kills
222
Non-fixed-station monitoring (conventional during key seasons and flows)
260
Fish tissue analysis
420
Indicator bacteria monitoring