Asher Creek IA 02-IOW-736

Assessment Comments

Stream use assessment in Marshall County.

Basis for Assessment

Used a review of the field sheet from the June 1992 DNR stream use assessment in Marshall County 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 4 families) for streams in the Southern Iowa Rolling Loess Prairies subecoregion and (2) presence of a slight majority of the expected fish taxa (5 of 8) for streams in this subregion.   Notes on field sheet indicate that sediment deposition in the stream channel is a problem; frequent streambank erosion is also noted.   Based on results of the 1992 evaluations of the aquatic habitats and fish community, this stream only marginally fully supports its Class B(LR) uses.   Additional monitoring is needed to better define the status of the aquatic communities.