Cedar River IA 02-CED-457

Assessment Comments

Assessment is based on results of WQ monitoring conducted through contract w/ Duane Arnold Energy Center at Palo; this monitoring network was discontinued in December 1999.

Basis for Assessment

[Notes:  For the 2002 report, the previous waterbody segment IA 02-CED-0030-0, which extended 57 miles from Prairie Creek at Cedar Rapids to Wolf Creek at LaPorte City, was split into four subsegments:  (1) Prairie Creek to McCloud Run at Cedar Rapids (IA 02-CED-0030-1), (2) McCloud Run to Bear Creek near Palo (IA 02-CED-0030-2), (3) Bear Creek to Hinkle Creek near Vinton (IA 02-CED-0030-3), and (4) Hinkle Creek to Wolf Creek (IA 02-CED-0030-4).   Bear Creek to Hinkle Creek near Vinton (IA 02-CED-0030-3), and (4) Hinkle Creek to Wolf Creek (IA 02-CED-0030-4).   See assessment information for segment IA 02-CED-0030_1 for previous Section 305(b) assessments for the original 57-mile river reach.   Although the entire 57-mile segment was previously assessed for primary contact, aquatic life, and drinking water uses, only the 11.6-mile segment from the Cedar Rapids drinking water intake near the mouth of McCloud Run upriver to Bear Creek near Palo (IA 02-CED-0030-2) is now assessed for support of drinking water uses.   Also note that the ambient water quality monitoring network sponsored by the Duane Arnold Energy Center near Palo was terminated in December 1999.   Monitoring as part of the IDNR ambient water quality monitoring network began in November 1999 at the county road E-36 bridge east of Palo.   This new site is downriver from the Duane Arnold facility and is downriver from all four of the former DAEC sites.]

SUMMARY:  The Class A (primary contact recreation) uses and the Class B(WW) aquatic life uses remain assessed as "fully supported."  The support of fish consumption uses was not assessed.   EXPLANATION:  The assessments of the Class A and Class B(WW) uses developed for the 2000 report were based on data collected from October 1997 through September 1999 as part of monitoring sponsored by the Duane Arnold Energy Center at Palo, IA.   Because these data are less than five years old, and because all four of the former DAEC stations were located in the current assessment segment (IA 02-CED-0030-3), they are appropriate for characterizing current water quality conditions.   Thus, the assessments developed for the 2000 report remain valid.   The assessment of support of fish consumption uses, however, was based on U.S.  EPA/IDNR fish tissue (RAFT) monitoring conducted downstream of Cedar Rapids in 1996.   This monitoring location is too far downriver for characterizing levels of contaminants in fish tissue in the current assessment segment (IA 02-CED-0030-3).