Winnebago River IA 02-WIN-830

Assessment Comments

Assessment based on 2006 biological sampling data: FIBI = 42 (fair), BMIBI = 62 (good). FIBI BIC = 32; BMIBI BIC = 62.

Basis for Assessment

[Note:  Prior to the current (2008) Section 305(b) cycle, this stream segment was designated only for Class B(WW) aquatic life uses, including fish consumption uses.   Due to changes in Iowa’s surface water classification that were approved by U.S.  EPA in February 2008 (see http://www.iowadnr.com/water/standards/files/06mar_swc.pdf), and due to the completion of a Use Attainability Analysis, this segment is also now designated for Class A1 (primary contact recreation) uses.   This segment remains designated for warmwater aquatic life use (now termed Class B(WW1) uses), and for fish consumption uses (now termed Class HH (human health/fish consumption uses).]

SUMMARY/EXPLANATION:  The Class A1 (primary contact recreation) uses are "not assessed" due to the lack of information upon which to base an assessment.

The assessment of the Class B(WW1) aquatic life uses was based on data collected in 2006 as part of the DNR/UHL stream biological sampling project.   A series of biological metrics which reflect stream water quality and habitat integrity were calculated from the biological sampling data.   The biological metrics are based on the numbers and types of benthic macroinvertebrate taxa and fish species collected in the stream sampling reach.   The biological metrics were combined to make a fish community index of biotic integrity (FIBI) and a benthic macroinvertebrate index (BMIBI).   The indexes rank the biological integrity of a stream sampling reach on a rising scale from 0 (minimum) to 100 (maximum).   The 2006 FIBI score was 42 (fair) and the BMIBI score was 62 (good).  The aquatic life use support was assessed as fully supporting (=FS), based on a comparison of the FIBI and BMIBI scores with biological impairment criteria (BIC) established for previous Section 305(b) reports.   The non-riffle habitat FIBI BIC for this ecoregion is 32 and the BMIBI BIC for this ecoregion is 62.   The biological impairment criteria were determined from a statistical analysis of data collected at stream ecoregion reference sites from 1994-2004.

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