Iowa DNR
Iowa DNR
ADBNet
Water Quality Assessments
Impaired Waters List

South Fork Iowa River IA 02-IOW-749

from confluence with unnamed tributary in W 1/2 S19 T88N R21W Hardin Co. to confluence with unnamed tributary in E 1/2 S11 T88N R22W Hardin Co.

Cycle
2020
Release Status
Final
Overall IR
4 - Water is impaired or threatened and a TMDL has been completed or is not needed.
Trend
Unknown
Created
10/8/2020 11:56:05 AM
Updated
10/12/2020 9:02:18 AM
Use Support
Class A1
Recreation - Primary contact
Partially Supported
Support Level
Partially Supported
Impairment Code
4a - Pollutant-caused impairment. TMDL has been completed.
Cause Magnitude
Slight
Status
Delisted
Source
Unknown: Source Unknown
Source Confidence
N/A
Cycle Added
2010
Impairment Rationale
Geometric mean criterion exceeded
Cycle Delisted
2020
Delisting Rationale
TMDL preparation and approval
Data Source
Ambient monitoring: USDA/National Lab for Ag. and Environment
Class BWW2
Aquatic Life - Warm Water Type 2
Fully Supported
General Use
General Use water -
Not Assessed
Impairment Delistings
No delistings for this assessment cycle.
Documentation
Assessment Summary

The presumptive Class A1 use remains assessed as "partially supported" due to levels of indicator bacteria (E. coli) that exceeded state water quality criteria. The Class BWW2 use remains assessed as “fully supported” based on limited water quality monitoring data.  Note: A TMDL covering the bacteria impairments for all segments, with the segment code prefix "IA 02-IOW" in the Iowa River Basin, was approved by EPA in 2018. Due to the completion of the TMDL, the IR category for the Class A1 use was changed from 5p (impaired; TMDL needed) to 4a (impaired; TMDL approved).

Assessment Explanation

Sources of Data:

Data Source

Data Source ID

Data Type

Data Age

Site ID

Site Name

Site Description

NLAE

20

WQ

CY 2010-2012

SF400

South Fork Iowa River

2 miles NNE of Buckeye

USGS

11

WQ

CY 2013

05451112

South Fork Iowa River

Near Buckeye


Presumptive Class A1 - Indicator Bacteria:

Site ID

Data Source ID

# Samples / # Years

2010 Geometric Mean

2011 Geometric Mean

2012 Geometric Mean

Annual Geometric Mean Violation

# Violations

% Violations

Significantly >10% Violations

Assessment Type

Support Level

SF400

20

23 / 3

304

361

344

Yes

15

65%

Yes

Evaluated

Partial


Presumptive Class A1 - pH:

Site ID

Data Source ID

Parameter Name

# Samples / # Years

Maximum Value

Mean Value

Median Value

# Acute / Chronic Violations

% Acute/ Chronic Violations

Significantly >10% Violations

Assessment Type

Support Level

05451112

11

pH

13 / 1

8.3

8

8

0 / NA

0% / NA

No

Evaluated

Full


Class BWW2 – Conventional Parameters:

Site ID

Data Source ID

Parameter Name

# Samples / # Years

Maximum Value

Mean Value

Median Value

# Acute / Chronic Violations

% Acute/ Chronic Violations

Significantly >10% Violations

Assessment Type

Support Level

05451112

11

Ammonia

13 / 1

0.11

0.03

0.03

0 / 0

0% / 0%

No

Evaluated

Full

05451112

11

Chloride

10 / 1

36

30

30

NA / 0

NA / 0%

No

Evaluated

Full

05451112

11

Dissolved oxygen

13 / 1

11.7

8.9

8.8

NA / 0

NA / 0%

No

Evaluated

Full

05451112

11

pH

13 / 1

8.3

8

8

0 / NA

0% / NA

No

Evaluated

Full

05451112

11

Sulfate

10 / 1

38

29

29

NA / 0

NA / 0%

No

Evaluated

Full

05451112

11

Temperature

15 / 1

28.1

19.4

18.9

0 / 0

0% / 0%

No

Evaluated

Full


Class BWW2 – Continuous Monitoring Data:

Monitoring at station SF400 from 2010-2012 included continuous monitoring for dissolved oxygen, pH, and water temperature. None of the 530 daily maximum and minimum values for pH exceeded the respective Class BWW2 pH criteria of 9.0 and 6.5 pH units. The respective maximum and minimum pH values reported for this period were 9.0 and 7 pH units. Eight of the 529 daily maximum values for water temperature (1.5%) exceeded Iowa’s added heat criterion of 32C (maximum value = 33.8C). Of the 468 daily minimum values for dissolved oxygen generated at monitoring site SF400 over the 2010-2012 monitoring period, only 1 value (0.2%) was below the 5.0 mg/l Class BWW2 criterion (not < 5.0 mg/l during 16 hours of a 24-hour period), and no values were below Iowa’s Class BWW2 criterion for a minimum dissolved oxygen of 4.0 mg/l at any time during a 24-hour period (minimum value = 4.95 mg/l). The monitoring results for pH, dissolved oxygen and water temperature at station SF400 do not suggest impairment of the Class BWW2 aquatic life use.

Monitoring and Methods
Assessment Key Dates
3/12/2010
Non-fixed Monitoring Start Date
7/7/2012
Non-fixed Monitoring End Date
5/7/2013
Non-fixed Monitoring Start Date
8/26/2013
Non-fixed Monitoring End Date
3/9/2018
TMDL Completed
Methods
150
Monitoring data more than 5 years old
220
Non-fixed station physical/chemical monitoring (conventional pollutant only)
420
Indicator bacteria monitoring