Yellow River IA 01-YEL-434
mouth (S34 T96N R3W Allamakee Co.) to County Road X-26 bridge in S24 T96N R5W Allamakee Co.
- Assessment Cycle
- 2020
- Release Status
- Final
- Data Collection Period
- Overall IR Category
- 4 - Water is impaired or threatened and a TMDL has been completed or is not needed.
- Trend
- Unknown
- Created
- 8/27/2020 12:41:25 PM
- Updated
- 10/16/2020 6:51:46 AM
Assessment Summary
The Class A1 use was assessed as "partially supported" due to levels of indicator bacteria (E. coli) that exceeded state water quality criteria. The Class BWW1 use was assessed as "fully supported" based on biological sampling data, water quality monitoring data, and on the trout reproduction in Iowa streams summary prepared by the DNR Fisheries Bureau. The Class HH use was assessed as "fully supported" based on water quality monitoring data. Note: A TMDL for the bacterial impairment for Yellow River basin streams was prepared by Iowa DNR in 2012 and approved by U.S. EPA in 2013. Due to the TMDL completion, the Integrated Report category for the Class A1 primary contact recreation use was changed from 5a to 4a.
Assessment Explanation
Sources of
Data: Data Source Data Source ID Data Type Data Age Site ID Site Name Site Description Iowa DNR 6 WQ CY 2016-2018 10030002 Yellow River near Volney Iowa DNR 6 BIO See Below 141 Yellow River Yellow River Forest – Yellow River Unit -
Ion Iowa DNR 6 BIO See Below 1149 Yellow River County Rd X36 bridge 3 mi south of HWY 76
at Ion Class A1 -
Indicator Bacteria: Site ID Data Source ID # Samples / # Years 2016 Geometric Mean 2017 Geometric Mean 2018 Geometric Mean Annual Geometric Mean Violation # Violations % Violations Significantly >10% Violations Assessment Type Support Level 10030002 6 21 / 3 496.29 225.2 592.22 Yes 14 67% Yes Monitored Partial Class A - pH: Site ID Data Source ID # Samples / # Years Maximum Value Mean Value Median Value # Violations % Violations Significantly >10% Violations Assessment Type Support Level 10030002 6 36 / 3 8.4 8.1 8.2 0 0% No Monitored Full Class BWW1 -
Conventional Parameters: Site ID Data Source ID Parameter Name # Samples / # Years Maximum Value Mean Value Median Value # Acute / Chronic Violations % Acute/ Chronic Violations Significantly >10% Violations Assessment Type Support Level 10030002 6 Ammonia 36 / 3 0.07 0.03 0.02 0 / 0 0% / 0% No Monitored Full 10030002 6 Chloride 36 / 3 26 20 20 0 / 0 0% / 0% No Monitored Full 10030002 6 Dissolved oxygen 36 / 3 14.7 11.2 10.6 NA / 0 NA / 0% No Monitored Full 10030002 6 pH 36 / 3 8.4 8.1 8.2 0 / NA 0% / NA No Monitored Full 10030002 6 Sulfate 36 / 3 22 15.6 16 0 / NA 0% / NA No Monitored Full 10030002 6 Temperature 36 / 3 20.1 10.3 11.5 0 / 0 0% / 0% No Monitored Full Class BWW1 -
Toxic Parameters: Site ID Data Source ID Parameter Name # Samples / # Years Maximum Value Mean Value Median Value # Acute / Chronic Violations % Acute/ Chronic Violations >1 Acute / Chronic Violation Assessment Type Support Level 10030002 6 Aluminum 9 / 2 4.8 1.073 0.35 0 / 0 0% / 0% No Evaluated Full 10030002 6 Arsenic 9 / 2 0.86 0.64 0.63 0 / 0 0% / 0% No Evaluated Full 10030002 6 Cadmium 9 / 2 0.07 0.03 0.025 0 / 0 0% / 0% No Evaluated Full 10030002 6 Chromium 9 / 2 2.1 1.29 1.3 0 / 0 0% / 0% No Evaluated Full 10030002 6 Copper 9 / 2 1.1 0.62 0.56 0 / 0 0% / 0% No Evaluated Full 10030002 6 Lead 9 / 2 0.26 0.091 0.1 0 / 0 0% / 0% No Evaluated Full 10030002 6 Nickel 9 / 2 2.9 2.1 2 0 / 0 0% / 0% No Evaluated Full 10030002 6 Selenium 9 / 2 1.3 0.87 0.91 0 / 0 0% / 0% No Evaluated Full 10030002 6 Zinc 9 / 2 2.5 1.13 0.95 0 / 0 0% / 0% No Evaluated Full Class BWW1 - Biological Sampling: Benthic Macroinvertebrates: BioNet Site ID Date Drainage Area (mi2) Ecoregion Major Drainage/ Thermal BM Sample Gear BMIBI score BMIBI Class 52b BMIBI BIT BMIBI Pass/ Fail 1149 8/29/17 221 52b MS/WW Hess 63 Good 61 Pass 141 8/19/15 224 52b MS/WW Hess 64 Good 61 Pass Fish: BioNet Site ID Date Drainage Area (mi2) Ecoregion Major Drainage/ Thermal Riffle Site? FIBI score FIBI Class 52b FIBI BIT FIBI Pass/ Fail 141 8/19/15 224 52b MS/WW NA 59 Good 52 Pass 141 9/6/12 224 52b MS/WW NA 68 Good 52 Pass Overall Assessment: Community Assessment Type Assessment Result Support Level Earned IR Category Actual IR Category Reason Benthic Macroinvertebrates Evaluated Pass (2/2) Full Fish Evaluated Pass (2/2) Full Overall Evaluated Pass Full 1 1 Assessment is evaluated because the (fish) assessment
included samples older than five years. Class
BWW1 - Trout Natural Reproduction:
Even
though Yellow River is classified as a BWW1
stream, based on the January
2020 trout reproduction in Iowa streams summary prepared by the DNR Fisheries
Bureau, the Class BWW1 aquatic life use of Yellow River was assessed as
"fully supported". According to the updated summary, this stream was placed
in Category I: streams that exhibit consistent natural reproduction and
maintain a wild population of one or more trout species without any stocking. Class HH-F -
Toxic Parameters: Site ID Data Source ID Parameter Name # Samples / # Years Maximum Value Mean Value Median Value Number of Non - Detects Mean Value > Criterion or MCL Assessment Type Support Level 10030002 6 Cadmium 9 / 2 0.07 0.03 0.025 8 No Evaluated Full 10030002 6 Chromium 9 / 2 2.1 1.29 1.3 0 No Evaluated Full 10030002 6 Copper 9 / 2 1.1 0.62 0.56 0 No Evaluated Full 10030002 6 Nickel 9 / 2 2.9 2.1 2 0 No Evaluated Full 10030002 6 Selenium 9 / 2 1.3 0.87 0.91 1 No Evaluated Full 10030002 6 Zinc 9 / 2 2.5 1.13 0.95 0 No Evaluated Full
Assessment Key Dates
| 1/11/2016 | Fixed Monitoring Start Date |
| 12/5/2018 | Fixed Monitoring End Date |
| 8/19/2015 | Biological Monitoring |
| 9/6/2012 | Biological Monitoring |
| 8/29/2017 | Biological Monitoring |
| 2/1/2013 | TMDL Completed |
| 1/1/2020 | Biological Monitoring |
Methods
| 120 | Surveys of fish and game biologists/other professionals |
| 230 | Fixed station physical/chemical (conventional plus toxic pollutants) |
| 315 | Regional reference site approach |
| 320 | Benthic macroinvertebrate surveys |
| 330 | Fish surveys |
| 420 | Indicator bacteria monitoring |