Clark Creek IA 01-UIA-6437

from mouth in S31 T100N R4W Allamakee Co. to headwaters (T99N R4W Sec21 Allamakee 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 2018 - 2020
Stream/River Water Quality Data	CY 2018 - 2020
Lake Water Quality Data	CY 2016 - 2020
Biological Sampling Data	CY 2016 - 2020*
Fish Kill Data	CY 2016 - 2020
Fish Tissue Sampling Data	CY 2016 - 2020
Continuous Dissolved Oxygen Sampling Data	CY 2016 - 2020
*Biological sites sampled in both 2015 and 2019 were also assessed.

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Cycle: 2022
Release Status: Final
Overall IR: 5 - Water is impaired or threatened and a TMDL is needed.
Trend: Unknown
Created: 1/4/2022 11:07:30 AM
Updated: 1/18/2022 3:27:16 PM

Use Support

Class A1

Presumptive Use

Recreation - Primary contact

Not Assessed

Class BWW1

Presumptive Use

Aquatic Life - Warm Water Type 1

Not Supported

Biological: low fish IBI

Support Level

Further Investigation Needed

Impairment Code

3b-u - Use potentially biologically impaired based on uncalibrated IBI metrics.

Cause Magnitude

Moderate

Status

Continuing

Source

Unknown: Source Unknown

Source Confidence

Low

Cycle Added

2016

Impairment Rationale

Low Biotic Index

Data Source

Biological monitoring: Iowa DNR WQMA

Fish Kill: Caused By Animal Waste

Support Level

Not Supported

Impairment Code

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

Cause Magnitude

Moderate

Status

Continuing

Source

Agriculture: Animal Feeding Operations

Source Confidence

High

Cycle Added

2016

Impairment Rationale

Pollutant-caused fish kill

Data Source

Fish kill investigation: Iowa DNR

TMDL Priority

Tier IV

Impairment Delistings

No delistings for this assessment cycle.

Documentation

Assessment Summary

The presumptive Class BWW1 use was assessed as "not supported" based on biological sampling data and due to a fish kill investigation. All other designated uses were "not assessed."

Assessment Explanation

Data Sources:

Data Source	Data Source ID	Data Type	Data Age	Site ID	Site Name	Site Description
Iowa DNR	6	BIO	See Below	781	Clark Creek	New Albin

Presumptive Class A1 - No Data

Presumptive Class BWW1 – Fish kill Assessment:

The presumptive Class BWW1 aquatic life use assessment based on the 2015 fish kill placed this segment in Category 5b. The fish kill was caused by a “pollutant” or was suspected to be caused by a “pollutant”; therefore, the presumptive Class BWW1 use was considered impaired. Because the source of the pollutant was not identified and/or the enforcement actions taken against the responsible party have not been resolved, the presumptive Class BWW1 use was placed in Category 5b. Due to uncertainty regarding the recovery of the aquatic life following the fish kill, 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.

Details about the 2015 fish kill can be found here: https://programs.iowadnr.gov/fishkill/Events/903

Presumptive Class BWW1 - Biological Sampling:

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:

BioNet Site ID	Date	Drainage Area (mi2)	Ecoregion	Major Drainage	BM Sample Gear	BMIBI score	BMIBI Class	52b BMIBI BIT	BMIBI Pass/Fail
781	9/22/14	7	52b	MS	Hess	58	Good	61	Pass

Fish:

BioNet Site ID	Date	Drainage Area (mi2)	Ecoregion	Major Drainage	Riffle Stream?	FIBI score	FIBI Class	52b FIBI BIT	FIBI Pass/Fail
781	9/22/14	7	52b	MS	NA	27	Fair	52	Fail

Overall:

Community	Assessment Type	Assessment Result	Support Level	IR Category	Reason
Benthic Macroinvertebrates	Evaluated	Pass (1/1)	Full		The BMIBI passed after 8 point UAV was applied to single sample.
Fish	Evaluated	Fail (0/1)	Not		Assessment was evaluated because the drainage area
Overall	Evaluated	Fail	WINOFI	3bu	of the site was smaller than the calibrated range.

Monitoring and Methods

Assessment Key Dates

9/22/2014

Biological Monitoring

10/12/2015

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

315

Regional reference site approach

320

Benthic macroinvertebrate surveys

330

Fish surveys