Otter Creek Lake IA 02-IOW-720

Tama County S31T84NR14W 5 mi NE of Toledo.

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: 5 - Water is impaired or threatened and a TMDL is needed.
Trophic: Hypereutrophic
Trend: Stable
Created: 11/1/2023 8:12:50 AM
Updated: 2/2/2024 2:19:43 PM

Use Support

Class A1

Recreation - Primary contact

Not Supported

Turbidity: Secchi Disk Transparency

Support Level

Not Supported

Impairment Code

5a - Pollutant-caused impairment. TMDL needed.

Cause Magnitude

Moderate

Status

New

Source

Other: Sediment Resuspension

Source Confidence

Moderate

Cycle Added

2024

Impairment Rationale

Narrative criteria violation: aesthetically objectionable conditions

Data Source

Ambient monitoring: Iowa DNR-lakes

TMDL Priority

Tier II

Class BLW

Aquatic Life - Lakes and wetlands

Fully Supported

Class HH

Human Health -

Not Assessed

Impairment Delistings

No delistings for this assessment cycle.

Documentation

Assessment Summary

The Class A1 use was assessed as “not supported” due to aesthetically objectionable conditions caused by non-algal turbidity. The Class BLW use was assessed as “fully supported”. All other designated uses were “not assessed.” Note: A TMDL for the algae impairment at this lake was prepared and approved by EPA in September 2014. Because not all Section 303(d) impairments identified for the current assessment/listing cycle (Secchi turbidity) are addressed by the TMDL, this waterbody was placed in IR Category 5a (impaired; TMDL needed).

Assessment Explanation

Data Sources:

Data Source	Data Source ID	Data Type	Data Age	Site ID	Site Name	Site Description
Iowa DNR	6	WQ	CY 2018-2021	22860002	Otter Creek Lake

Class A1 - Indicator Bacteria: No Data

Class A1 - pH:

Site ID	Data Source ID	# Samples / # Years	Minimum Value	Maximum Value	Mean Value	# Violations	Violations needed for impairment	Violates Significantly >10% Rule?	Assessment Type	Support Level
22860002	6	11 / 4	7.5	8.7	8.1	0	3	NO	Mon	Full

Class A1 - Lake TSI's:

Site ID	Data Source ID	Parameter Name	# Samples / # Years	Minimum Value	Maximum Value	Median Value	Median TSI Violation?	Assessment Type	Support Level
22860002	6	Chlorophyll a TSI	11 / 4	46	78	60	NO	Mon	Full
22860002	6	Secchi TSI	11 / 4	55	77	72	YES	Mon	Not
22860002	6	Total Phosphorus TSI	11 / 4	57	70	63	NA	NA	NA
22860002	6	Fixed suspended solids	11 / 4	0.6	17.1	7	NA	NA	NA

DNR's assessment methodology indicates that a TSI value less than or equal to 63 is necessary to suggest de-listing of an impairment. The chlorophyll a TSI value for the 2008 assessment listing cycle was 71, which based on DNR's assessment/listing methodology indicated an impairment based on the narrative criteria protecting against aesthetically objectionable conditions. Because the TSI value for the 2024 assessment/listing cycle is less than or equal to the delisting threshold of 63 (median TSI value for chlorophyll a was 60), based on DNR's methodology, these values suggest "full support" of the Class A1 uses protecting against aesthetically objectionable conditions and the impairment (4a) for chlorophyll a is suggested for removal for the 2024 assessment/listing cycle.

Class BLW - Binomial Parameters:

Site ID	Data Source ID	Parameter Name	# Samples / # Years	Minimum Value	Maximum Value	Mean Value	# Violations	# Acute / Chronic Violations	Violations needed for impairment	Violates Significantly >10% Rule?	Assessment Type	Support Level
22860002	6	Dissolved Oxygen	11 / 4	3.6	10.9	7.3	3	NA / NA	3	YES	Mon	Not
22860002	6	pH	11 / 4	7.5	8.7	8.1	0	NA / NA	3	NO	Mon	Full
22860002	6	Temperature	11 / 4	17.4	26	23	0	NA / NA	3	NO	Mon	Full

Class BLW - Lake Planktonic Cyanobacteria:

Site ID	Data Source ID	# Samples	Maximum Cyanobacteria Wet Mass	Maximum Cyanobacteria % Composition	Median Cyanobacteria Wet Mass	Median Cyanobacteria % Composition	Median Cyanobacteria Concentration = 75th Percentile	Assessment Type	Support Level
22860002	6	5	22.60098213	92%	9.688161183	58%	NO	Evaluated	NA

Class BLW - Toxic Parameters:

Site ID	Data Source ID	Parameter Name	# Samples / # Years	Maximum Value	Mean Value	Median Value	# Acute / Chronic Violations	>1 Acute / Chronic Violation	Assessment Type	Support Level
22860002	6	Ammonia	11 / 4	0.6356	0.16	0.09	0 / 0	NO	Mon	Full

Class HH - Toxic Parameters: No Data

Monitoring and Methods

Assessment Key Dates

6/12/2018

Monitoring Start

8/5/2021

Monitoring End

9/18/2004

TMDL Completed

Methods

200

Physical/Chemical Monitoring

340

Primary producer surveys (phytoplankton/periphyton/macrophyton)