Luicks Creek IA 02-IOW-768

Assessment Comments

Stream use assessment in Wright County.

Basis for Assessment

Used a review of the field sheet from the June 1992 DNR stream use assessment SE of Belmond 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 (8 species from 4 families) for streams in the Des Moines Lobe subecoregion (47b) and (2) presence of a slight majority of the expected fish taxa (6 of 11) for streams in this subecoregion.   As noted in the assessment developed for the 1994 report (see above), the aquatic habitats of this reach of Luicks Creek are threatened by habitat alterations, probably related to extensive upstream channelization.   Despite these alterations, the fish community present is more or less typical of Class B(LR) streams in this subregion.   Additional monitoring at lower flow conditions than those during the June 1992 DNR stream use assessment should be conducted to better define the status of the aquatic communities and habitats of this stream.