Buffalo Creek IA 01-WPS-375

Assessment Comments

Assessment based on 2001 biocriteria data: Fish IBI= 66 (good), BM-IBI= 72 (good).

Basis for Assessment

[Note:  For the 2002 report, the previous waterbody segment IA 01-WPS-0110-0 from the mouth of Buffalo Creek to Coggon Dam was split into three subsegments:  (1) mouth to Jones/Linn county line (IA 01-WPS-0110-1), (2) Jones/Linn county line to Boulder Creek (IA 01-WPS-0110-2), and (3) Boulder Creek to Coggon Dam (IA 01-WPS-0110-3).   The assessment information above applies to the original waterbody segment (IA 01-WPS-0110-0).]

The assessment was based on data collected in 2001 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 that were collected in the stream sampling reach.   The biological metrics were combined to make a fish community index of biotic integrity (F-IBI) and a benthic macroinvertebrate index (BM-IBI).   The indexes rank the biological integrity of a stream sampling reach on a rising scale from 0 (minimum) to 100 (maximum).   The 2001 Fish IBI score was 66 (good) and the BM-IBI score was 72 (good).  The aquatic life use support was assessed as fully supporting (=FS), based on a comparison of the F-IBI and BM-IBI scores with biological assessment criteria established specifically for the 2002 Section 305(b) report.  The biological assessment criteria were determined from a statistical analysis of data collected at stream ecoregion reference sites from 1994-2001.