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
- 2022
- 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
- 12/22/2021 5:39:22 AM
- Updated
- 12/22/2021 5:41:20 AM
Assessment Summary
The Class A1 use was assessed as "not 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. All other designated uses were "not assessed." 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
Data Sources: Data Source Data Source ID Data Type Data Age Site ID Site Name Site Description Iowa DNR 6 WQ CY 2018-2020 10030002 Yellow River near Volney
Iowa DNR 6 BIO See Below 141 Yellow
River Yellow
River State Forest – Yellow River Unit - Ion Iowa DNR 6 BIO See Below 1149 Yellow
River County
Road X36 bridge – 3 miles S of Hwy 76 - Ion Class A1 -
Indicator Bacteria: Site ID Data Source ID # Samples per Year (2018/ 2019/2020) 2018 Geometric Mean 2019 Geometric Mean 2020 Geometric Mean Violates Annual Geometric Mean? # 2018 SSM violations / SSM Violations
needed for impairment # 2019 SSM violations / SSM Violations
needed for impairment # 2020 SSM violations / SSM Violations
needed for impairment Violates Annual SSM Significantly >10%
Rule? Assessment Type Support Level 10030002 6 6/7/8 592 450 358 YES 5 / NA 5 / 3 3 / 3 YES Monitored Not Class A - pH Site ID Data Source ID # Samples / # Years Minimum Value Maximum Value Mean Value # Violations Violations needed for impairment Violates Significantly >10% Rule? Assessment Type Support Level 10030002 6 36 / 3 6.6 8.4 8.2 0 7 NO Monitored Full Class BWW1 -
Conventional Parameters: Site ID Data Source ID Parameter Name # Samples / # Years Minimum Value Maximum Value Mean Value # Violations # Acute / Chronic Violations Violations needed for impairment Violates Significantly >10% Rule? Assessment Type Support Level 10030002 6 Ammonia 36 / 3 0.02 0.09 0.03 NA 0 / 0 7 NO Monitored Full 10030002 6 Chloride 36 / 3 9.9 26 17.7 NA 0 / 0 7 NO Monitored Full 10030002 6 Dissolved Oxygen 36 / 3 8.8 14.4 11.5 0 NA / NA 7 NO Monitored Full 10030002 6 pH 36 / 3 6.6 8.4 8.2 0 NA / NA 7 NO Monitored Full 10030002 6 Sulfate 36 / 3 8.9 19 14.4 0 NA / NA 7 NO Monitored Full 10030002 6 Temperature 36 / 3 0.4 20.5 10.3 0 NA / NA 7 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 >1 Acute / Chronic Violation Assessment Type Support Level 10030002 6 Aluminum 14 / 3 4.8 0.7 0.2 0 / 0 NO Monitored Full 10030002 6 Arsenic 13 / 3 0.86 0.61 0.63 0 / 0 NO Monitored Full 10030002 6 Cadmium 13 / 3 0.06 0.03 0.02 0 / 0 NO Monitored Full 10030002 6 Chromium 13 / 3 2.2 1.3 1.2 0 / 0 NO Monitored Full 10030002 6 Lead 13 / 3 0.65 0.17 0.12 0 / 0 NO Monitored Full 10030002 6 Nickel 13 / 3 3.7 2.6 2.5 0 / 0 NO Monitored Full 10030002 6 Silver 13 / 3 0.025 0.025 0.025 0 / 0 NO Monitored Full 10030002 6 Zinc 13 / 3 2.7 1.5 1.3 0 / 0 NO Monitored Full Site ID Date Drainage Area (mi2) Ecoregion Major Drainage BM Sample Gear BMIBI score BMIBI Class 52b BMIBI BIT BMIBI Pass/Fail 141 8/20/20 224 52b MS Hess 57 Good 61 Fail 1149 8/28/17 221 52b MS Hess 63 Good 61 Pass 141 8/19/15 224 52b MS Hess 64 Good 61 Pass Fish: Site ID Date Drainage Area (mi2) Ecoregion Major Drainage Riffle Stream? FIBI score FIBI Class 52b FIBI BIT FIBI Pass/Fail 141 8/20/20 224 52b MS NA 50 Fair 52 Fail 141 8/19/15 224 52b MS NA 59 Good 52 Pass 141 9/6/12 224 52b MS NA 68 Good 52 Pass Overall: Community Assessment Type Assessment Result Support Level IR Category Reason Benthic
Macroinvertebrates Evaluated Pass (2/3) Full
Fish Evaluated Pass (2/3) Full 1 Assessment was evaluated
because some of the samples used to complete Overall Evaluated Pass Full the assessment were
greater than five years old. Even
though Yellow River is classified as a BWW1 stream, based on the January 2021
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 BWW1 - Biological Sampling:
Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Class BWW1 - Trout Natural Reproduction:
Class HH – No Data
Assessment Key Dates
1/11/2016 | Fixed Monitoring Start Date |
12/5/2018 | Fixed Monitoring End Date |
8/19/2015 | Biological Monitoring |
8/20/2020 | Biological Monitoring |
8/29/2017 | Biological Monitoring |
2/1/2013 | TMDL Completed |
1/1/2021 | Biological Monitoring |
Methods
120 | Surveys of fish and game biologists/other professionals |
150 | Monitoring data more than 5 years old |
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 |