West Branch Buffalo Creek IA 01-WPS-381

mouth (S35 T90N R8W Buchanan Co.) to confluence with unnamed tributary in S9 T90N R8W Buchanan Co.

Open Data Collection Period Modal

For purposes of developing stream/river water quality assessments for integrated reporting, three years of water quality data are typically used for both conventional pollutant parameters (e.g., indicator bacteria) and the less frequently monitored toxic parameters (e.g., toxic metals). Since the 2004 IR cycle, DNR has used a three-year data gathering period for streams, rivers, and beaches. For most assessments, the use of three years of data increases the number of samples upon which the decision on use support is based and helps address the problem of weather-related year-to-year fluctuations in water quality.

Due to the lower sampling frequency in Iowa’s ambient lake, biological, fish kill, and fish tissue monitoring programs, five years of data are used for developing IR assessments and for identifying Section 303(d) listings.

Data Type	Data Timeframe
Beach Sampling Data	CY 2016 - 2018
Stream/River Water Quality Data	CY 2016 - 2018
Lake Water Quality Data	CY 2014 - 2018
Biological Sampling Data	CY 2014 - 2018*
Fish Kill Data	CY 2014 - 2018
Fish Tissue Sampling Data	CY 2014 - 2018
Continuous Dissolved Oxygen Sampling Data	CY 2014 - 2018
*Biological sites sampled in both 2013 and 2017 were also assessed.

Open Segment Map
View assessment methodology in new window

Cycle: 2020
Release Status: Final
Overall IR: 3 - Insufficient data exist to determine whether any designated uses are met.
Trend: Unknown
Created: 10/2/2020 3:19:34 PM
Updated: 10/19/2020 9:29:29 AM

Use Support

Class A1

Presumptive Use

Recreation - Primary contact

Not Assessed

Class BWW2

Aquatic Life - Warm Water Type 2

Not Assessed

General Use

General Use water -

Not Assessed

Impairment Delistings

No delistings for this assessment cycle.

Documentation

Assessment Summary

Insufficient water quality information available to assess use support.

Assessment Explanation

Class A1 -No Data

Class BWW2 - Conventional Parameters: Historical

The Class BWW2 use was considered “not assessed” due to the age of the monitoring data upon which the previous assessment was based. Additionally, based on current methodology, this segment should have been assessed as "fully supported" based on the significantly greater than 10% rule and not potentially impaired.

Monitoring and Methods

Assessment Key Dates

None listed

Methods

None listed