Assessment Comments
Assessment is based on results of IDNR/UHL biological (biocriteria) sampling on July 22, 1996: Fish-IBI=57 (good); BM-IBI=80 (excellent).
Basis for Assessment
SUMMARY: The Class B(LR) aquatic life uses remain assessed as "fully supported / threatened" (minor impacts) based on results of IDNR/UHL biological monitoring conducted in 1996 as part of the IDNR stream biocriteria projectd. Due to the age of these data, the assessment category is changed from "monitored" (higher confidence assessment) to "evaluated" (lower confidence assessment).
EXPLANATION: Continue to use the assessments developed for the 1998 and 2000 reporting cycles that were based on results of the 1996 IDNR biocriteria assessment. As stated in the assessment developed for the 2000 reporting cycle, the F-IBI score was 57 (good) and the BM-IBI score was 80 (excellent). The aquatic life use support was assessed as fully supported / threatened (=FST), based on a comparison of the F-IBI and BM-IBI scores with biological assessment criteria established specifically for the 2000 Section 305(b) report. The biological assessment criteria were determined from a statistical analysis of data collected at stream ecoregion reference sites from 1994-1998. Because these data are now considered too old (greater than five years) to accurately characterize current water quality conditions, the assessment category is changed from "monitored" (indicating an assessment with relatively high confidence) to "evaluated" (indicating an assessment with relatively low confidence).
