Upper Pine Lake IA 02-IOW-760

Hardin County S4T87NR19W 0.5 mi E of Eldora.

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 2014 - 2016
Stream/River Water Quality Data	CY 2014 - 2016
Lake Water Quality Data	CY 2012 - 2016
Biological Sampling Data	CY 2012 - 2016*
Fish Kill Data	CY 2012 - 2016
Fish Tissue Sampling Data	CY 2012 - 2016
Continuous Dissolved Oxygen Sampling Data	CY 2012 - 2016
*Biological sites sampled in both 2011 and 2015 were also assessed.

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Cycle: 2018
Release Status: Final
Overall IR: 4 - Water is impaired or threatened and a TMDL has been completed or is not needed.
Trophic: Eutrophic
Trend: Stable
Created: 5/8/2019 9:50:15 AM
Updated: 5/8/2019 9:53:23 AM

Use Support

Class A1

Recreation - Primary contact

Partially Supported

Algal Growth: Chlorophyll a

Support Level

Partially Supported

Impairment Code

4a - Pollutant-caused impairment. TMDL has been completed.

Cause Magnitude

Moderate

Status

Continuing

Source

Agriculture

Source Confidence

Moderate

Cycle Added

2004

Impairment Rationale

Narrative criteria violation: aesthetically objectionable conditions

Data Source

Ambient monitoring: Iowa DNR-lakes

Class BWW1

Aquatic Life - Warm Water Type 1

WINOFI

Fish Kill: Due To Natural Causes

Support Level

Further Investigation Needed

Impairment Code

3b - Use potentially impaired based on an evaluated assessment.

Cause Magnitude

Slight

Status

Continuing

Source

Natural

Source Confidence

Low

Cycle Added

2006

Impairment Rationale

Non Pollutant-caused fish kill

Data Source

Fish kill investigation: Iowa DNR

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 A1 (primary contact recreation) uses are assessed (monitored) as “partially supported” (IR 4a) due to elevated levels of chlorophyll a (algae) that cause aesthetically objectionable conditions. The Class B(WW-1) aquatic life uses are assessed (evaluated) as “partially supported” due to fish kills that occurred in May 2005 and April 2009. Nutrient loading to the water column and siltation also remain water quality concerns at this lake. Fish consumption uses remain “not assessed” due to the lack of fish contaminant monitoring at this lake. Sources of data for this assessment include (1) results of the statewide survey of Iowa lakes conducted from 2012 through 2016 by Iowa State University (ISU), (2) information from the IDNR Fisheries Bureau, and (3) results of fish kill investigations in May 2005 and April 2009.

Assessment Explanation

For the 2018 assessment/listing cycle, the Class A1 (primary contact recreation) uses of Upper Pine Lake are assessed (monitored) as "partially supported" due to aesthetically objectionable conditions caused by algae blooms based on information from the ISU lake survey. Using the median values from these surveys from 2012-2016 (approximately 15 samples), Carlson 's (1977) trophic state indices for Secchi depth, chlorophyll a, and total phosphorus were 62, 66, and 68 respectively for Upper Pine Lake. According to Carlson (1977) the Secchi depth, chlorophyll a, and total phosphorus values all place Upper Pine Lake in the Eutrophic category. These values suggest high levels of chlorophyll a and suspended algae in the water, moderately poor water transparency, and high levels of phosphorus in the water column. The data show no violations of the Class A1 criterion for pH in 15 samples.

Note:A TMDL for siltation at Upper Pine Lake was prepared in 2002 by DNR and approved by EPA. Aditionally,TMDL for the algae impairment at this lake was prepared and approved by EPA in November 2014. Because all impairments at this lake are addressed by the two TMDL's(i.e., the algae impairment), this waterbody was moved from IR Category 4a to Category 5a (impaired; TMDL required). A TMDL for the algae impairment at this lake was prepared and approved by EPA in November 2014.The approval of this TMDL moves the impairment due to algae from Iowa's list of Section 303(d) waters (Category 5a of the Integrated Report) to IR Category 4a (impaired; TMDL not required).

The level of inorganic suspended solids was moderately high at Upper Pine Lake, and does suggest that non-algal turbidity may contribute to the impairment at this lake. The median level of inorganic suspended solids in Upper Pine Lake (3.3 mg/L) was ranked 73rd among the 138 lakes by the ISU lake survey.

Data from the 2012-2016 ISU lake survey suggest a moderate population of cyanobacteria exists at Upper Pine Lake. These data show that cyanobacteria comprised 40% of the phytoplankton wet mass at this lake. The median cyanobacteria wet mass (11 mg/L) was ranked 50th of the 138 lakes sampled.

The Class B(WW-1) (aquatic life) uses are assessed (evaluated) as “partially supported” due to fish kills that occurred in May of 2005 and April of 2009. The 2005 kill was attributed to natural causes (spawning stress). The kill affected bluegill and crappie; no estimates were made of the number of dead fish. The kill was believed due to fluctuating water temperatures that contributed to spawning stress. The 2009 kill was also attributed to natural causes (fluctuating water temperatures). The 2009 kill affected approximately 2500 fish; mostly bluegill and crappie. No estimate of the value of these fish was made. According to DNR’s assessment/listing methodology, the occurrence of a single pollutant-caused fish kill, or a fish kill of unknown origin, on a waterbody or waterbody reach during the most recent assessment period (2008-2011) indicates a severe stress to the aquatic community and suggests that the aquatic life uses should be assessed as “impaired.”If a cause of the kill was not identified during the DNR investigation, or if the kill was attributed to non-pollutant causes (e.g., winterkill), the assessment type will be considered “evaluated.”Such assessments, although suitable for Section 305(b) reporting, lack the degree of confidence to support addition to the state Section 303(d) list of impaired waters (IR Category 5). Waterbodies affected by such fish kills will be placed in IR subcategories 3b and will be added to the state list of waters in need of further investigation.

Information from the DNR Fisheries Bureau suggests that nuisance algae blooms are a concern at this lake. Data from the ISU lake survey, however, suggest Upper Pine Lake has relatively good chemical water quality.Results of the ISU lake survey from 2012-2016 show there were no violations of the criterion for ammonia in 15 samples(0%), one violation of the criterion for dissolved oxygen in 15 samples(7%), and no violations of the criterion for pH in 15 samples(0%). Based on DNR's assessment methodology these violations are not significantly greater than 10% of the samples and therefore suggest (fully supported/monitored) of the Class B(LW) uses of Upper Pine Lake.

Fish consumption uses remain "not assessed" due to the lack of fish contaminant monitoring in this lake.

Monitoring and Methods

Assessment Key Dates

6/4/2012

Fixed Monitoring Start Date

9/8/2016

Fixed Monitoring End Date

5/25/2005

Fish Kill

4/27/2009

Fish Kill

5/13/2003

TMDL Completed

11/3/2014

TMDL Completed

Methods

120

Surveys of fish and game biologists/other professionals

140

Incidence of spills and/or fish kills

222

Non-fixed-station monitoring (conventional during key seasons and flows)

340

Primary producer surveys (phytoplankton/periphyton/macrophyton)