Assessment Comments
Assessment based on 2004 biocriteria data: FIBI = 52 (good), BMIBI = 34 (fair). FIBI BIC = 36; BMIBI BIC = 51.
Basis for Assessment
Summary: This site failed to meet the BMIBI BIC for this sampling. It was documented on the field sheets that the artificial substrates used to determine the BMIBI score were of marginal quality and the sampling effectiveness was rated as fair. A low water condition occurred that left the artificial substrates in a less than desirable location that lacked water depth and flow. This is a site from our reference network and has historically been fully supporting its uses. Because of this information, the assessment was changed to evaluated and will be assessed again in the near future.
The assessment was based on data collected in 2002 as part of the DNR/UHL stream biocriteria project. A series of biological metrics which reflect stream water quality and habitat integrity were calculated from the biocriteria sampling data. The biological metrics are based on the numbers and types of benthic macroinvertebrate taxa and fish species collected in the stream sampling reach. The biological metrics were combined to make a fish community index of biotic integrity (FIBI) and a benthic macroinvertebrate index (BMIBI). The indexes rank the biological integrity of a stream sampling reach on a rising scale from 0 (minimum) to 100 (maximum). The 2004 FIBI score was 52 (good) and the BMIBI score = 34 (fair). The aquatic life use support was assessed as partially supporting (= PS), based on a comparison of the FIBI and BMIBI scores with biological impairment criteria (BIC) established for previous Section 305(b) reports. The biological impairment criteria were determined from a statistical analysis of data collected at stream ecoregion reference sites from 1994-2004. The FIBI BIC for this ecoregion is 36 and the BMIBI BIC for this ecoregion is 51.
