Raven Creek IA 02-IOW-723

Assessment Comments

Stream use assessment in Tama County.

Basis for Assessment

Used a review of the field sheet from the June 1992 DNR stream use assessment approximately 5 miles W of Tama to upgrade the assessment of support of the Class B(LR) aquatic life uses from PS to FST due to (1) presence of a moderately diverse fish community (12 species from 3 families) for streams in the Southern Iowa Rolling Loess Prairies subecoregion, including the somewhat environmentally sensitive blacknose dace and brassy minnow) and (2) presence of a slight majority of the expected fish taxa (5 of 8) for this subregion.   As noted in the assessment developed for the 1994 report, the physical characteristics of this stream are impacted by frequent streambank erosion.   Results of the 1992 stream use assessment suggest a stream that only marginally supports the Class B(LR) uses.   Additional monitoring is needed to better determine the status of the aquatic communities and habitats of this stream.