Fenchel Creek (a.k.a. Richmond Springs) IA 01-MAQ-59

mouth (S5 T90N R6W Delaware Co.) to Richmond Springs in center S4 T90N R6W Delaware 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.

Open Segment Map
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Cycle: 2024
Release Status: Final
Overall IR: 3 - Insufficient data exist to determine whether any designated uses are met.
Trend: Unknown
Created: 11/1/2023 8:12:28 AM
Updated: 12/20/2023 10:19:19 AM

Use Support

Class A1

Presumptive Use

Recreation - Primary contact

Not Assessed

Class A2

Recreation - Secondary contact

Not Assessed

Class BCW1

Aquatic Life - Cold Water Type 1

WINOFI

Fish Kill: Cause Unknown

Support Level

Further Investigation Needed

Impairment Code

3b - Use potentially impaired based on an evaluated assessment.

Cause Magnitude

Slight

Status

Continuing

Source

Unknown: Source Unknown

Source Confidence

Low

Cycle Added

2022

Impairment Rationale

Pollutant-caused fish kill

Data Source

Fish kill investigation: Iowa DNR

Class HH

Human Health -

Not Assessed

Impairment Delistings

No delistings for this assessment cycle.

Documentation

Assessment Summary

The Class BCW1 use was assessed (evaluated) as “WINOFI” based on the results of a fish kill investigation. All other designated uses were "not assessed."

Assessment Explanation

Presumptive Class A1 - No Data

Class A2 - No Data

Class BCW1 – Trout Natural Reproduction:

Based on the January 2024 trout reproduction in Iowa streams summary prepared by the DNR Fisheries Bureau, the Class BCW1 coldwater aquatic life use of Fenchel Creek (a.k.a. Richmond Springs) 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 BCW1 – Fish kill Assessment:

The BCW1 aquatic life use assessment based on the 2019 fish kill placed this segment in Category 3b. This assessment was “evaluated” because there was a single fish kill on this segment in the last five years. Segments assessed using “evaluated” assessments are placed in Category 3b and are added to the state list of Waters In Need Of Further Investigation (WINOFI). If no additional fish kills are reported in this segment for a 10-year period (2029), the Category will be changed from 3b to 3a (not assessed).

Details about the 2019 fish kill can be found here: https://programs.iowadnr.gov/fishkill/Events/984

Class HH - No Data

Monitoring and Methods

Assessment Key Dates

1/1/2024

Biological Monitoring

9/28/2019

Fish Kill

Methods

120

Surveys of fish and game biologists/other professionals

140

Incidence of spills and/or fish kills

330

Fish surveys