Princeton State Wildlife Area IA 01-WPS-331

Assessment Comments

Assessment remains based on information from the IDNR Wildlife Bureau.

Basis for Assessment

This waterbody is not in Iowa's current surface water classification and is thus classified only for general uses.   As such, only the general use protection for aquatic life will be assessed.  

SUMMARY:  The aquatic life uses remain assessed (evaluated) as "partially supported" due to siltation related to annual flooding by the Mississippi River.   According to the DNR Wildlife Bureau, this wetland has recently been protected from annual flood deposits by construction of a new boundary dike.   This is the same assessment at that developed for previous assessment/listing cycles.  

EXPLANATION:  The aquatic life uses remain assessed (evaluated) as "partially supported" based on information from the Iowa DNR Wildlife Bureau (see assessment for the 1998 and 2000 reports).   The assessment category for this wetland of "evaluated" indicates that the assessment is based entirely on "best professional judgment."  In terms of Section 305(b) reporting, "monitored assessments" are based primarily on recent, site-specific ambient monitoring data and thus have relatively high confidence.   IDNR considers waterbodies identified as "impaired" based on "monitored assessments" as candidates for the state's Section 303(d) list.   "Evaluated assessments" are those based on data older than five years or other than site-specific ambient monitoring data (e.g., questionnaire surveys of fish and game biologists [=best professional judgment]) and thus have relatively lower confidence.   IDNR does not consider waterbodies identified as "impaired" based on "evaluated assessments" as candidates for the state's Section 303(d) list.