Iowa DNR
Iowa DNR

ADBNet

Water Quality Assessments
Impaired Waters List

Elk River IA 01-MAQ-8

mouth (Clinton Co.) to North Branch Elk River (S10 T83N R6E Clinton Co.)

Assessment Cycle
1998
Result Period
1994 - 1996
Designations
Assessment Type
Monitored
Integrated Report
Category 0
Legacy ADBCode
IA 01-MAQ-0030_1
Overall Use Support
Partial
Aquatic Life Use Support
Partial
Fish Consumption
Not assessed
Documentation
Assessment Comments

1991 stream use assessment in Clinton County. Fisheries surveys by LTRMP (1992) and DNR Fisheries (1997).

Basis for Assessment

Used information in an April 2, 1998 memo from S.  Gritters (LTRMP, Bellevue) regarding high levels of ammonia in Elk River following runoff and regarding a possible decline in number of species present in the stream as reflected in surveys conducted in 1987, 1992 and 1997.   Dead fish and other aquatic life were observed during the August 1997 surveys conducted by DNR Fisheries.   Additional monitoring is needed to determine the nature, causes, and sources of ongoing impairments to the aquatic life of this stream.

Monitoring and Methods
Assessment Key Dates
Methods
300 BIOLOGICAL MONITORING
330 Fish surveys
240 Non-fixed station physical/chemical (conventional + toxicants)
Monitoring Levels
Biological 0
Habitat 0
Physical Chemistry 0
Toxic 0
Pathogen Indicators 0
Other Health Indicators 0
Other Aquatic Life Indicators 0
# of Bio Sites 0
BioIntegrity N/A
Causes and Sources of Impairment
Causes Use Support Cause Magnitude Sources Source Magnitude
Organic enrichment/Low DO Overall Use Support Moderate
  • Agriculture
  • Moderate
Organic enrichment/Low DO Aquatic Life Support Moderate
  • Agriculture
  • Moderate
Unionized Ammonia Overall Use Support Moderate
  • Source Unknown
  • Moderate
Unionized Ammonia Aquatic Life Support Moderate
  • Source Unknown
  • Moderate