Willow Creek IA 02-WIN-848

Assessment Comments

Assessment remains based on 2001 and 2010 IDNR/SHL biological sampling data: FIBI = 58, 53 (good), BMIBI = 73, 73 (good). Riffle habitat FIBI BIC = 53, BMIBI BIC = 62.

Basis for Assessment

[Note:  Prior to the 2008 Section 305(b) cycle, this stream segment was classified only for general 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), this segment is now presumptively designated for Class A1 (primary contact recreation) uses and for Class B(WW1) aquatic life uses.   According to the Iowa Water Quality Standards, all perennial rivers and streams and all intermittent streams with perennial pools that are not specifically listed in the Iowa surface water classification are designated as Class A1 and Class B(WW1) waters.   Thus, for the current (2014) assessment, perennial flow is presumed, and the available water quality monitoring data will be compared to the applicable Class A1 and Class B(WW1) water quality criteria.]

SUMMARY:  The presumptive Class A1 (primary contact recreation) uses remain "not assessed" (IR 3a) due to the lack of information upon which to base an assessment.   The presumptive Class B(WW1) aquatic life uses are assessed (evaluated) as "fully supported" (IR 2a) based on results of IDNR/SHL biological sampling in 2001 and 2010.

EXPLANATION:  The presumptive Class B(WW1) aquatic life uses are assessed (evaluated) as “fully supporting” based on data collected in 2001 and 2010 as part of the IDNR/SHL stream biocriteria project.   The 2001 FIBI score was 58 (good) and the BMIBI score was 73 (good).   The 2010 FIBI score was 53 (good) and the BMIBI score was 73 (good).   The aquatic life use support was assessed (evaluated) as fully supporting (=FS), based on a comparison of the FIBI and BMIBI scores with biological impairment criteria (BIC) established from a statistical analysis of data collected at stream ecoregion reference sites from 1994-2008.   The riffle habitat FIBI BIC for this ecoregion is 53 and the BMIBI BIC for this ecoregion is 62.   Even though this segment passed the FIBI BIC 2/2 times and passed the BMIBI BIC 2/2 times in the last 12 years, it is uncertain as to whether or not this segment is meeting the aquatic life criteria because it is a small headwater stream and doesn’t fall in the calibrated watershed size.  

This aquatic life assessment is now also considered "evaluated" based on a change in the 2010 IDNR assessment methodology.   IDNR now requires a segment have two or more biological samples collected from the segment in multiple years between 2008 and 2012 to be considered “monitored”.   This segment had multiple samples collected in the previous 12 years (2001-2012); however, the samples were not collected during 2008-2012.