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 2016 - 2018
Stream/River Water Quality Data	CY 2016 - 2018
Lake Water Quality Data	CY 2014 - 2018
Biological Sampling Data	CY 2014 - 2018*
Fish Kill Data	CY 2014 - 2018
Fish Tissue Sampling Data	CY 2014 - 2018
Continuous Dissolved Oxygen Sampling Data	CY 2014 - 2018
*Biological sites sampled in both 2013 and 2017 were also assessed.

Open Segment Map
View assessment methodology in new window

Cycle: 2020
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: 7/28/2020 1:43:52 PM
Updated: 10/14/2020 9:51:27 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 use is assessed (monitored) as “partially supported” (IR 4a) due to elevated levels of chlorophyll a (algae) that cause aesthetically objectionable conditions. The Class BWW1 aquatic life use is assessed (evaluated) as “partially supported” due to fish kills that occurred in April 2009. Nutrient loading to the water column and siltation also remain water quality concerns at this lake. All other designated uses are “not assessed”. Note: A TMDL for siltation at Upper Pine Lake was prepared in 2002 by DNR and approved by EPA. Additionally, 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 5a to Category 4a (impaired; TMDL not required).

Assessment Explanation

Sources of Data:

Data Source	Data Source ID	Data Type	Data Age	Site ID	Site Name	Site Description
Iowa DNR	6	WQ	CY 2014-2018	22420002	Upper Pine Lake

Class A1 - Indicator Bacteria: No Data

Class A1 - pH:

Site ID	Data Source ID	# Samples / # Years	Maximum Value	Mean Value	Median Value	# Violations	% Violations	Significantly >10% Violations	Assessment Type	Support Level
22420002	6	15 / 5	9	8.4	8.4	0	0%	NO	Monitored	Full

Class A1 - Lake TSI's

Site ID	Data Source ID	Parameter Name	# Samples / # Years	Minimum Value	Maximum Value	Median Value	Median TSI Violation	Assessment Type	Support Level
22420002	6	Chlorophyll a TSI	15 / 5	36	75	66	YES	Monitored	Not
22420002	6	Secchi TSI	15 / 5	49	73	60	NO	Monitored	Full
22420002	6	Total Phosphorus TSI	15 / 5	43	75	69	NA	NA	NA
22420002	6	Inorganic suspended solids	15 / 5	0.3	9.7	3.2	NA	NA	NA

Class BWW1 - 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
22420002	6	Ammonia	15 / 5	0.387	0.1	0.06	0 / 0	0% / 0%	NO	Monitored	Full
22420002	6	Dissolved oxygen	15 / 5	24.6	12.4	11.8	NA / 0	NA / 0%	NO	Monitored	Full
22420002	6	pH	15 / 5	9	8.4	8.4	0 / NA	0% / NA	NO	Monitored	Full
22420002	6	Temperature	15 / 5	27.4	24.5	24.9	0 / 0	0% / 0%	NO	Monitored	Full

Class BWW1 - Lake Planktonic Cyanobacteria:

Site ID	Data Source ID	# Samples	Maximum Cyanobacteria Wet Mass	Maximum Cyanobacteria % Composition	Median Cyanobacteria Wet Mass	Median Cyanobacteria % Composition	Median Cyanobacteria Wet Mass = 75th Percentile	Assessment Type	Support Level
22420002	6	10	70.029	99.2 %	5.692	26.75 %	NO	Evaluated	NA

Class BWW1 - Fishkill:

The Class BWW-1 uses are assessed (evaluated) as “partially supported” due to fish kills that occurred in April of 2009.Because the cause of the fish kill was not identified, or the fish kill was attributed to a non-pollutant cause (e.g., winterkill), the assessment type is “evaluated.” Segments assessed using “evaluated” assessments are placed in Category 3b and are added to the state list of waters in need of further investigation. If no additional fish kills are reported in the segment for a 10 year period, the Category will be changed from 3b to 3a (water not assessed).

Details about the 2009 fish kill can be found here:https://programs.iowadnr.gov/fishkill/Events/799

Class HH - No Data

Monitoring and Methods

Assessment Key Dates

6/9/2014

Fixed Monitoring Start Date

9/16/2018

Fixed Monitoring End Date

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)