McLoud Run IA 02-CED-508

Alternate name(s) for this segment: Cold Stream

mouth (SW 1/4 S16 T83N R7W Linn Co.) to headwaters in SW 1/4 S5 T83N R7W Linn 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 2020 - 2022
Stream/River Water Quality Data	CY 2020 - 2022
Lake Water Quality Data	CY 2018 - 2022
Biological Sampling Data	CY 2018 - 2022*
Fish Kill Data	CY 2018 - 2022
Fish Tissue Sampling Data	CY 2018 - 2022
Continuous Dissolved Oxygen Sampling Data	CY 2018 - 2022
*Biological sites sampled in both 2017 and 2021 were also assessed.

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Cycle: 2024
Release Status: Final
Overall IR: 5 - Water is impaired or threatened and a TMDL is needed.
Trend: Unknown
Created: 11/1/2023 8:12:44 AM
Updated: 12/22/2023 2:23:55 PM

Use Support

Class A1

Presumptive Use

Recreation - Primary contact

Not Supported

Bacteria: Indicator Bacteria- E. coli

Support Level

Not Supported

Impairment Code

5p - Impairment occurs on a waterbody with a presumptive A1 or B(WW1) use.

Cause Magnitude

High

Status

Continuing

Source

Unknown: Source Unknown

Source Confidence

N/A

Cycle Added

2014

Impairment Rationale

Geometric mean criterion exceeded

Data Source

Special project/study

TMDL Priority

Tier IV

Class BWW1

Presumptive Use

Aquatic Life - Warm Water Type 1

Not Supported

Fish Kill: Due To Thermal Modifications

Support Level

Not Supported

Impairment Code

4a - Pollutant-caused impairment. TMDL has been completed.

Cause Magnitude

High

Status

Continuing

Source

Urban Runoff/Stormwater

Source Confidence

N/A

Cycle Added

2002

Impairment Rationale

Pollutant-caused fish kill

Data Source

Fish kill investigation: Iowa DNR

Fish Kill: Due To Unknown Toxicity

Support Level

Not Supported

Impairment Code

5b - Biological impairment or pollutant-caused fish kill - unknown source. No administrative action.

Cause Magnitude

High

Status

Continuing

Source

Unknown: Source Unknown

Source Confidence

N/A

Cycle Added

2006

Impairment Rationale

Pollutant-caused fish kill

Data Source

Fish kill investigation: Iowa DNR

TMDL Priority

Tier IV

Fish Kill: Caused By Chlorine

Support Level

Not Supported

Impairment Code

5b - Biological impairment or pollutant-caused fish kill - unknown source. No administrative action.

Cause Magnitude

High

Status

Continuing

Source

Spills/Dumping: Accidental release/spill

Source Confidence

N/A

Cycle Added

2014

Impairment Rationale

Adverse impacts on plant/animal communities

Data Source

Fish kill investigation: Iowa DNR

TMDL Priority

Tier IV

Class HH

Human Health -

Not Assessed

Impairment Delistings

No delistings for this assessment cycle.

Documentation

Assessment Summary

The presumptive Class A1 use was assessed as “not supported” due to levels of indicator bacteria (E. coli) that exceeded state water quality criteria. The presumptive Class BWW1 use was assessed as "not supported" due to multiple fish kill investigations. Results of water quality monitoring indicate good water quality conditions in this stream. All other designated uses were "not assessed." Note: The previous impairment of this stream was due to fish kills related to high-temperature stormwater from summer precipitation events in the primarily urban watershed of McLoud Run. A TMDL for these thermal impacts was prepared by DNR and approved by U.S. EPA in 2007. Because, however, this TMDL did not address the potential causes of more recent fish kills (e.g., discharge of chlorinated water to the stream), this aquatic life use remains Section 303(d)-impaired and in Category 5b of Iowa's Integrated Report.

Assessment Explanation

Data Sources:

Data Source	Data Source ID	Data Type	Data Age	Site ID	Site Name	Site Description
Iowa DNR	6	WQ	CY 2010-2011	15570003	McLoud Run at Cedar Rapids

Presumptive Class A1 - Indicator Bacteria: 2010-2011

Site ID	Data Source ID	# Samples / # Years	2010 Geometric Mean	2011 Geometric Mean	Annual Geometric Mean Violation	# Violations	% Violations	Significantly >10% Violations	Assessment Type	Support Level
15570003	6	23 / 2	889	1282	Yes	22	96%	Yes	Evaluated	Not

Presumptive Class A1 - pH: 2010-2011

Site ID	Data Source ID	# Samples / # Years	Maximum Value	Mean Value	Median Value	# Violations	% Violations	Significantly >10% Violations	Assessment Type	Support Level
15570003	6	23 / 2	8.1	7.6	7.7	0	0%	No	Evaluated	Full

Presumptive Class BWW1 - Binomial Parameters: 2010-2011

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
15570003	6	Dissolved Oxygen	23 / 2	11.1	8.8	9.0	NA / 0	NA / 0%	No	Evaluated	Full
15570003	6	pH	23 / 2	8.1	7.6	7.7	0 / NA	0% / NA	No	Evaluated	Full
15570003	6	Temperature	23 / 2	19.9	15.1	14.6	0 / 0	0% / 0%	No	Evaluated	Full

Presumptive Class BWW1: Fish kill Assessment:

A total of five fish kills occurred in this segment from 1997-2005. For more information on those historic fish kills, see previous IR assessments for this segment for view the fish kills in the Iowa Fish kill Database - https://programs.iowadnr.gov/adbnet/Segments/508

The presumptive Class BWW1 use assessment based on the 2012, 2013 and 2016-2018 fish kills placed this segment in Category 5b. The fish kills were caused by a “pollutant” or were suspected to be caused by a “pollutant”; therefore, the presumptive Class BWW1 use was considered impaired. This assessment was considered “monitored” and the aquatic life use is eligible to be placed in Category 5b because there were multiple fish kills in this segment in the last five years. Due to uncertainty regarding the recovery of the aquatic life following fish kills, any existing fish kill 5b impairment will remain in Category 5b until more recent sampling has shown recovery of the aquatic community or the responsible party has paid restitution for all the historic fish kills.

Details about the 2012 fish kill caused by chlorinated water can be found here: https://programs.iowadnr.gov/fishkill/Events/853

Details about the 2013 fish kill caused by chlorinated water can be found here: https://programs.iowadnr.gov/fishkill/Events/870

Details about the 2016 fish kill caused by unknown source can be found here: https://programs.iowadnr.gov/fishkill/Events/905

Details about the 2017 fish kill caused by chlorinated water can be found here: https://programs.iowadnr.gov/fishkill/Events/945

Details about the 2018 fish kill due to natural causes can be found here: https://programs.iowadnr.gov/fishkill/Events/951

Monitoring and Methods

Assessment Key Dates

5/18/2010

Monitoring Start

7/25/2011

Monitoring End

10/24/2012

Fish Kill

9/6/2013

Fish Kill

5/16/2016

Fish Kill

1/1/2007

TMDL Completed

3/21/2018

Fish Kill

7/31/2017

Fish Kill

Methods

120

Surveys of fish and game biologists/other professionals

140

Incidence of spills and/or fish kills

150

Monitoring data more than 5 years old

200

Physical/Chemical Monitoring

420

Indicator bacteria monitoring