Siewers Spring IA 01-UIA-6596

from mouth (NE1/4 SW1/4 S27 T98NR8W Winneshiek Co.) to headwaters (spring head) in SW1/4SW1/4 S27 T98N R8W Winneshiek 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.

Open Segment Map
View assessment methodology in new window

Cycle: 2022
Release Status: Final
Overall IR: 5 - Water is impaired or threatened and a TMDL is needed.
Trend: Unknown
Created: 1/10/2022 1:10:06 PM
Updated: 1/31/2022 11:02:07 AM

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

Watershed project monitoring

TMDL Priority

Tier III

Class BWW1

Presumptive Use

Aquatic Life - Warm Water Type 1

Fully Supported

Impairment Delistings

No delistings for this assessment cycle.

Documentation

Assessment Summary

The presumptive Class A1 use remains 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 "fully supported" based water quality monitoring data and on the trout reproduction in Iowa streams summary prepared by the DNR Fisheries Bureau. All other designated uses were "not assessed." Although not designated for the coldwater aquatic life use in the Iowa Surface Water Classification Document, this segment was assessed using DNR's coldwater assessment methodology based on the presence of trout and the natural reproduction of trout.

Assessment Explanation

Data Sources:

Data Source	Data Source ID	Data Type	Data Age	Site ID	Site Name	Site Description
Iowa DNR	6	WQ	CY 2012-2014	191910016	Siewers Spring – Site 32

Presumptive Class A1 - Indicator Bacteria:

Site ID	Data Source ID	# Samples / # Years	2012 Geometric Mean	2013 Geometric Mean	2014 Geometric Mean	Annual Geometric Mean Violation	# Violations	% Violations	Significantly >10% Violations	Assessment Type	Support Level
191910016	6	21 / 3	659	626	1309	Yes	17	81%	Yes	Evaluated	Not

Presumptive Class A1 - pH:

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
191910016	6	pH	13 / 2	10.8	8.1	7.8	1 / NA	8% / NA	No	Evaluated	Full

Presumptive Class BWW1 - Conventional Parameters:

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
191910016	6	Ammonia	14 / 2	0.05	0.05	0.05	0 / 0	0% / 0%	No	Evaluated	Full
191910016	6	pH	13 / 2	10.8	8.1	7.8	1 / NA	8% / NA	No	Evaluated	Full
191910016	6	Temperature	14 / 2	14.4	10.9	11.6	0 / 0	0% / 0%	No	Evaluated	Full

Presumptive Class BWW1 – Trout Natural Reproduction:

Even though Siewers Spring is classified as a presumptive BWW1 stream, based on the January 2021 trout reproduction in Iowa streams summary prepared by the DNR Fisheries Bureau, the presumptive Class BWW1 aquatic life use of Siewers Spring 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.

Monitoring and Methods

Assessment Key Dates

4/3/2012

Non-fixed Monitoring Start Date

10/7/2014

Non-fixed Monitoring End Date

1/1/2021

Biological Monitoring

Methods

120

Surveys of fish and game biologists/other professionals

150

Monitoring data more than 5 years old

220

Non-fixed station physical/chemical monitoring (conventional pollutant only)

330

Fish surveys

420

Indicator bacteria monitoring