Williams Creek IA 01-YEL-443

Assessment Comments

Stream use assessment in Allamakee County.

Basis for Assessment

Used the assessment of support of the Class B(LR) aquatic life uses developed for the 1996 report (=FST).   A fish kill occurred on a 4-mile reach of this stream on September 26, 1995, due to animal waste from a feedlot.  A review of the field sheet from the June 1992 DNR stream use assessment in Allamakee County suggests above average aquatic habitats due to presence of very diverse substrates, several pool/riffle sequences, and only minor impacts to the physical characteristics of the stream from isolated areas of pasturing of the riparian corridor and from stream bank erosion; in addition, the stream appears to have good low flow characteristics.   Only 1 fish species, however, was captured due to difficult seining conditions created by rocky substrates and deep pools.   A review of the field notes from the May 1989 DNR fish survey in Allamakee County shows (1) a moderately diverse fish community (11 species from 4 families) for streams in the Driftless Area ecoregion, (2) presence of a nearly all of the expected fish taxa (8 of 9) for streams in this region, and (3) occurrence of good quality aquatic habitats.   Thus, this relatively old biological sampling information supports the assessment of support of the Class B(LR) aquatic life uses as FST.   The data upon which this assessment is based are approx.  10 years old and thus are of questionable use for developing assessments of use support.   Additional monitoring is needed to update this assessment and to determine the status of the aquatic communities and habitats.