Wapsipinicon River IA 01-WPS-350

Assessment Comments

2 stream use assessment sites and 1 biocriteria site in Chickasaw, Howard, and Mitchell counties.

Basis for Assessment

Used a reivew of the field sheets from the two August 1995 and the one September 1995 DNR stream use assessments in Chickasaw, Howard & Mitchell counties, as well as the results of the September 1994 DNR biocriteria sampling in Chickasaw County to continue to assess support of the Class B(WW) aquatic life uses as FST due to (1) presence of diverse fish communities at all four sample locations (dstr->upstr:  species/ families:  18/5, 13/4, 15/5, and 17/4), (2) presence of a majority, or nearly all, of the expected fish taxa (dstr->upstr: 8 of 11; 9 of 11; 10 of 11; & 10 of 11) at all sample sites for streams in the Iowan Surface subecoregion, and (3) indications of excellent aquatic habitats at all sample locations with above average low flow characteristics, diverse substrates, good habitat diversity (although riffles were relatively few), and lack of significant impacts to the physical characteristics of the stream from channel alterations or streambank erosion.   Although the results of the stream assessments and biocriteria sampling suggest a high quality stream reach, the Class B(WW) uses were assessed as FST due to the lack of the expected game fish.   Presence of deep water at some locations may have prevented capture of game fish species.   Additional monitoring is needed to better determine the status of game fish populations in this reach of the Wapsipinicon River.