Iowa DNR
Iowa DNR
ADBNet
Water Quality Assessments
Impaired Waters List

South Fork Iowa River IA 02-IOW-748

from confluence with unnamed tributary in SE 1/4 NE 1/4 S2 T87N R21W (SE of Logsdon Park) Hardin Co. confluence with unnamed tributary in W 1/2 S19 T88N R21W Hardin Co.

Cycle
2020
Release Status
Final
Overall IR
5 - Water is impaired or threatened and a TMDL is needed.
Trend
Unknown
Created
6/4/2020 9:05:57 AM
Updated
10/12/2020 12:58:11 PM
Use Support
Class A1
Recreation - Primary contact
Not Assessed
Class BWW1
Aquatic Life - Warm Water Type 1
Partially Supported
Support Level
Partially Supported
Impairment Code
5b-v - Biological - verified
Cause Magnitude
Slight
Status
Continuing
Source
Unknown: Source Unknown
Source Confidence
Low
Cycle Added
2016
Impairment Rationale
Low Biotic Index
Data Source
Biological monitoring: Iowa DNR WQMA
TMDL Priority
Tier IV
Class HH
Human Health -
Not Assessed
General Use
General Use water -
Not Assessed
Impairment Delistings
No delistings for this assessment cycle.
Documentation
Assessment Summary

The Class BWW1 aquatic life use was assessed as “partially supported” based on biological sampling data. All other designated uses were "not assessed".

Assessment Explanation

Sources of Data:

Data Source

Data Source ID

Data Type

Data Age

Site ID

Site Name

Site Description

Iowa DNR

6

BIO

See Below

21

South Fork Iowa River

Iowa Falls – Logsdon Co Park

Iowa DNR

6

BIO

See Below

380

South Fork Iowa River

Buckeye – REMAP #79


Class A1 - No Data


Class BWW1 - Biological Sampling:

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:

BioNet Site ID

Date

Drainage Area (mi2)

Ecoregion

Major Drainage/Thermal

BM Sample Gear

BMIBI score

BMIBI Class

47b BMIBI BIT

BMIBI Pass/ Fail

21

8/9/16

121

47b

MS/WW

Hess

41

Fair

62

Fail

380

9/18/14

113

47b

MS/WW

Hess

45

Fair

62

Fail

380

8/21/14

113

47b

MS/WW

Hess

51

Fair

62

Fail

380

8/21/14

113

47b

MS/WW

ArtSub

33

Fair

62

Fail

Fish:

BioNet Site ID

Date

Drainage Area (mi2)

Ecoregion

Major Drainage/Thermal

Riffle Stream?

FIBI score

FIBI Class

47b FIBI BIT

FIBI Pass/ Fail

21

8/9/16

121

47b

MS/WW

Yes

59

Good

53

Pass

380

9/18/14

113

47b

MS/WW

No

78

Excellent

32

Pass

Overall:

Community

Assessment Type

Assessment Result

Support Level

Earned IR Category

Actual IR Category

Reason

Benthic Macroinvertebrates

Monitored

Fail (0/4)

Partial

Fish

Monitored

Pass (2/2)

Full

Overall

Monitored

Fail

Partial

5bv

5bv

Assessment is monitored because all samples were collected in the last five years.


Class BWW1 – Continuous Monitoring:


The results of continuous dissolved oxygen (DO) and temperature monitoring in 2013 and 2014 for the DNR/SHL stream biological sampling projects were marginally acceptable for fully supporting the Class BWW1 aquatic life use. The lowest DO concentration recorded in 109 days of continuous monitoring was 2.3 mg/L. The daily DO minimum concentration failed to meet the 24-hour DO criterion (5 mg/L) in 11 of 109 days and the 16-hour DO criterion (5 mg/L) in 3 of 109 days. The 2013 and 2014 combined percentage exceeding the 24-hour DO criterion (10.1%) was slightly greater than (failing) the 10% impairment threshold used to assess conventional water quality parameters; however, the associated statistical analysis confidence level was not high (<90%). The 2013 and 2014 combined percentage exceeding the 16-hour DO criterion (0%) was less than (passing) the 10% impairment threshold with high statistical confidence (>90%). The maximum stream temperature recorded during the sensor deployment period was 33.2 degrees (C). The temperature criterion for warmwater interior streams (32 C) was exceeded in 3 of 109 days. The percentage exceeding (2.8%) was less than (passing) the 10% impairment threshold with high statistical confidence (>90%). Based on these data, the BWW1 aquatic life use is assessed as not impaired by DO and temperature. The DNR’s continuous monitoring assessment methodology specifies that the frequency of violations must exceed the 10% threshold with greater than 90% statistical confidence in order to assess the aquatic life use as impaired. The assessment type is considered as “monitored” because the data meet the minimum requirements of the DNR’s continuous monitoring assessment methodology. Because of the contradictory results showing DO violations in the first year (2013) and not the second year of monitoring (2014), additional continuous monitoring of DO and temperature is strongly recommended.



Class BWW1 – Fishkill Assessment:

The Class BWW1 use previously resided in IR Category 3b based on the assessment developed for the 2009 fish kill. Because no additional fish kills were reported in this segment for at least 10 years post fish kill (2019), the IR Category for the fish kill assessment was changed from 3b to 3a (water not assessed). DNR believes that any impact from the fish kill from which the impairment was based has likely dissipated.


Class HH - No data



Monitoring and Methods
Assessment Key Dates
9/18/2014
Biological Monitoring
8/21/2014
Biological Monitoring
7/10/2013
Non-fixed Monitoring Start Date
9/15/2014
Non-fixed Monitoring End Date
8/9/2016
Biological Monitoring
Methods
150
Monitoring data more than 5 years old
222
Non-fixed-station monitoring (conventional during key seasons and flows)
315
Regional reference site approach
320
Benthic macroinvertebrate surveys
330
Fish surveys