Bear Creek IA 02-CED-523
mouth (S21 T86N R10W Benton Co.) to confluence with unnamed tributary in SW 1/4 S34 T88N R9W Buchanan Co.
Assessment Comments
1991 SUA: habscrs/fshscrs=22/11, 25/13, 24/11 (seine); 1996 Biocriteria: Fish IBI= 78(excellent), BM-IBI= 76(good).
Basis for Assessment
Used results of the 1996 DNR biocriteria sampling to upgrade the assessment from FST to FS due to (1) presence of an exceptionally diverse fish community (28 species from 6 families, (2) presence of environmentally sensitive species, including American brook lamprey, Ozark minnow, black redhorse, and banded darter, and (3) presence of all expected fish taxa for Class B(LR) streams in the Iowan Surface subecoregion (11 of 11). Field sheets from the July 1991 DNR stream use assessment indicate average to above average aquatic habitats and riparian conditions. In biological terms, a very high quality stream in Iowa.
Assessment Key Dates
| 8/8/1996 | Biological Monitoring |
Methods
| 330 | Fish surveys |
| 380 | Quan. measurements of instream parms-- channel morphology-- floodplain-- 1-2 seasons-- by prof |
| 220 | Non-fixed station physical/chemical monitoring (conventional pollutant only) |
| 315 | Regional reference site approach |
| 320 | Benthic macroinvertebrate surveys |
Monitoring Levels
| Biological | 4 |
| Habitat | 4 |
| Physical Chemistry | 1 |
| Toxic | 0 |
| Pathogen Indicators | 0 |
| Other Health Indicators | 0 |
| Other Aquatic Life Indicators | 0 |
| # of Bio Sites | 1 |
| BioIntegrity | Very Good |