Otter Creek Lake IA 02-IOW-720

Assessment Comments

Assessment is based on results of lake survey and surveys by IDNR Fisheries Bureau.

Basis for Assessment

Both fishable and swimmable uses were assessed as FST for the following reasons:  (1) results of monitoring show that average levels of total-P and TSS are better than overall averages for the 86 SPO impoundments sampled in 1990 and 1992; levels of secchi depth and chl-a are slightly worse than the overall averages but are well within +/- 1 SD; (2) the lake does not have problems with fishkills; (3) lake has a relatively low sedimentat rate (1.5 cm/yr) and a rel.  long life expectancy (199 years) for an SPO impoundment in Iowa; (4) lake supports the amount of fishing typical for SPO impoundments and supports a relatively low amount of swimming.   Lake appears to have only minor threats to support of uses from sediment and nutrients from agricultural NPSP.   DSC (1991) reports that lake WQ and rec use remain high w/ no impairments due to NPSP; sediment dikes imp.