Assessment Comments
Assessment remains based on results TMDL-related monitoring by IDNR/UHL from April through October, 2008.
Basis for Assessment
Note: Prior to the 2008 Section 305(b) cycle, this stream segment was designated only for general uses. Due to changes in Iowa’s surface water classification that were approved by U.S. EPA in February 2008, this segment is now presumptively designated for Class A1 (primary contact recreation) uses and for Class B(WW1) aquatic life uses. According to the Iowa Water Quality Standards, all perennial rivers and streams and all intermittent streams with perennial pools that are not specifically listed in the Iowa surface water classification are designated as Class A1 and Class B(WW1) waters. Thus, for the current (2014) assessment, perennial flow is presumed, and the available water quality monitoring data will be compared to the applicable Class A1 and Class B(WW1) water quality criteria. Although this stream has been proposed for Class A3/B(WW2) uses by Iowa DNR, confirmation of EPA approval of this proposal is not available.]
SUMMARY: The presumptive Class A1 (primary contact recreation) uses remain assessed (monitored) as "not supported" due to high levels of indicator bacteria that routinely violate state water quality standards. The presumptive Class B(WW1) aquatic life uses remain “not assessed” due to the lack of information upon which to base an assessment. The source of data for this assessment is the results for IDNR/UHL TMDL-related monitoring conducted station PC2 (STORET station 11820004) from April through October 2008.
Note: A TMDL for the bacterial impairment for streams in the Duck Creek basin, including Pheasant Creek, was prepared by Iowa DNR in March 2010 (see http://www.iowadnr.gov/Environment/WaterQuality/WatershedImprovement/WatershedResearchData/WaterImprovementPlans/PublicMeetingsPlans.aspx); this TMDL was approved by U.S. EPA in 2011. Due to completion of the TMDL, the Integrated Report category for the Class A1 recreational uses is changed from 5a (impaired; TMDL needed) to 4a (impaired; TMDL approved).
EXPLANATION: Results of monitoring for indicator bacteria conducted weekly from April through October 2008 at Station PC2 suggest that the presumptive Class A1 uses of this segment of Pheasant Creek should be assessed (monitored) as "not supported." A total of 29 samples were collected at station PC2 during this period; these data allowed calculation of twenty-five, 30-day/five-sample geometric means. All of the 30-day geometric means exceeded Iowa’s Class A1 criterion of 126 organisms / 100 ml. The minimum and maximum geometric means were 424 and 6,051 orgs/100 ml, with 24 of the 29 samples (83%) exceeding Iowa’s Class A1 single-sample maximum criterion of 235 orgs/100 ml. According to U.S. EPA guidelines and IDNR’s assessment/listing methodology, these results suggest non-support of the presumptive Class A1 (primary contact recreation) uses due to geometric means of E. coli that exceed Iowa’s water quality criterion of 126 E. coli organisms/100.
The presumptive Class B(WW1) aquatic life uses remain “not assessed” due to the lack of information upon which to base an assessment. Levels of dissolved oxygen, however, were measured during the TMDL-related sampling in 2008 at station PC2. Two of the 29 samples (7%) violated the Class B(WW1) criterion of 5 mg/l. The minimum level of dissolved oxygen was 3.9 mg/l. According to U.S. EPA guidelines for Section 305(b) reporting, if less than 10% of samples exceed state criteria for conventional parameters such as dissolved oxygen, the aquatic life uses should be assessed as "fully supported" (see pgs 3-33 to 3-35of U.S. EPA 1997b). Although these results suggest “full support” of the presumptive aquatic life uses, the lack of additional data for ammonia, toxic metals, and/or pesticides, and the lack of biological data for this segment, prevents development of a complete assessment of the aquatic life uses. Thus, the presumptive aquatic life uses remain “not assessed” for the 2014 cycle.
