Iowa DNR
Iowa DNR
ADBNet
Water Quality Assessments
Impaired Waters List

Lake Darling IA 03-SKU-924

Washington County S21T74NR9W 3 mi W of Brighton.

Assessment Cycle
2020
Release Status
Final
Data Collection Period
Overall IR Category
5 - Water is impaired or threatened and a TMDL is needed.
Trophic
Hypereutrophic
Trend
Unknown
Created
7/30/2020 10:01:19 AM
Updated
10/14/2020 10:27:34 AM
Assessment conducted in accordance with Iowa's 2020 IR methodology
Use Support
Class A1
Recreation
Primary contact
Partially Supported
Impairments
Support Level
Partially Supported
Impairment Code
4a - Pollutant-caused impairment. TMDL has been completed.
Cause Magnitude
High
Status
Continuing
Source
Other: Sediment Resuspension
Source Confidence
Moderate
Cycle Added
2002
Impairment Rationale
Narrative criteria violation: aesthetically objectionable conditions
Data Source
Ambient monitoring: Iowa DNR-lakes
Support Level
Partially Supported
Impairment Code
4a - Pollutant-caused impairment. TMDL has been completed.
Cause Magnitude
Slight
Status
Continuing
Source
Natural: Internal Nutrient Recycling (Primarily Lakes)
Source Confidence
Low
Cycle Added
2008
Impairment Rationale
Significantly > 10% of samples fail to meet criterion
Data Source
Ambient monitoring: Iowa DNR-lakes
Support Level
Partially Supported
Impairment Code
5a - Pollutant-caused impairment. TMDL needed.
Cause Magnitude
Moderate
Status
Continuing
Source
Unknown: Source Unknown
Source Confidence
N/A
Cycle Added
2018
Impairment Rationale
Geometric mean criterion exceeded
Data Source
Beach monitoring: Iowa DNR WQMA
TMDL Priority
Tier II
Support Level
Partially Supported
Impairment Code
4a - Pollutant-caused impairment. TMDL has been completed.
Cause Magnitude
Slight
Status
New
Source
Agriculture
Source Confidence
Low
Cycle Added
2020
Impairment Rationale
Narrative criteria violation: aesthetically objectionable conditions
Data Source
Ambient monitoring: Iowa DNR-lakes
Class BLW
Aquatic Life
Lakes and wetlands
Partially Supported
Impairments
Support Level
Partially Supported
Impairment Code
4a - Pollutant-caused impairment. TMDL has been completed.
Cause Magnitude
Slight
Status
Continuing
Source
Natural: Internal Nutrient Recycling (Primarily Lakes)
Source Confidence
Low
Cycle Added
2008
Impairment Rationale
Significantly > 10% of samples fail to meet criterion
Data Source
Ambient monitoring: Iowa DNR-lakes
Support Level
Water in Need of Further Investigation (WINOFI)
Impairment Code
3b - Use potentially impaired based on an evaluated assessment.
Cause Magnitude
Moderate
Status
Continuing
Source
Other: Sediment Resuspension
Source Confidence
High
Cycle Added
2002
Impairment Rationale
Adverse impacts on plant/animal communities
Data Source
Ambient monitoring: Iowa DNR-lakes
Support Level
Water in Need of Further Investigation (WINOFI)
Impairment Code
3b - Use potentially impaired based on an evaluated assessment.
Cause Magnitude
Moderate
Status
Continuing
Source
Agriculture
Source Confidence
Moderate
Cycle Added
1998
Impairment Rationale
Adverse impacts on plant/animal communities
Data Source
Biological monitoring: Iowa DNR Fisheries
Class C
Drinking Water
Not Assessed
Class HH
Human Health
Not Assessed
General Use
General Use water
Not Assessed
Impairment Delistings
No delistings for this assessment cycle.
Documentation
Assessment Summary

The Class A1 uses are assessed (monitored) as “not supported” due to aesthetically objectionable conditions caused by algae blooms, by poor water clarity due mainly to non-algal turbidity, and by violations of the state's criteria for indicator bacteria. Violations of the Class A1,B(LW) criterion for pH also contribute to the impairment of Class A1 uses at this lake. The Class BLW uses are assessed (monitored) as “partially supported” due to violations of the state’s pH criterion and impacts of nutrients and sediment at this lake. The Class C uses are "not assessed" due to a lack of enough information upon which to base an assessment. All other designated uses are “not assessed”. Note: A TMDL for siltation and nutrients at Lake Darling was prepared by IDNR and approved by EPA in 2003. Because, however, the Section 303(d) impairment due to indicator bacteria (aka, pathogens) was not addressed in the TMDL, this waterbody is placed in IR Category 5a (impaired; TMDL required) for the current assessment/listing cycle.

Assessment Explanation

Sources of Data:

Data Source

Data Source ID

Data Type

Data Age

Site ID

Site Name

Site Description

Iowa DNR

6

WQ

CY 2016-2018

21920001

Lake Darling Beach (Lake Darling State Park)

Iowa DNR

6

WQ

CY 2014-2018

22920004

Lake Darling Max Depth


Class A1 - Indicator Bacteria:

Site ID

Data Source ID

# Samples / # Years

2016 Geometric Mean

2017 Geometric Mean

2018 Geometric Mean

Annual Geometric Mean Violation

# Violations

% Violations

Significantly >10% Violations

Assessment Type

Support Level

21920001

6

20 / 3

221.48

20

302.21

Yes

8

40%

YES

Monitored

Partial


Class A1 - pH:

Site ID

Data Source ID

# Samples / # Years

Maximum Value

Mean Value

Median Value

# Violations

% Violations

Significantly >10% Violations

Assessment Type

Support Level

22920004

6

14 / 5

9.4

8.4

8.4

4

29%

YES

Monitored

Not


Class A1 - Lake TSI's

Site ID

Data Source ID

Parameter Name

# Samples / # Years

Minimum Value

Maximum Value

Median Value

Median TSI Violation

Assessment Type

Support Level

22920004

6

Chlorophyll a TSI

14 / 5

44

75

66

YES

Monitored

Not

22920004

6

Secchi TSI

14 / 5

50

77

66

YES

Monitored

Not

22920004

6

Total Phosphorus TSI

14 / 5

63

90

75

NA

NA

NA

22920004

6

Inorganic suspended solids

14 / 5

0.3

13

3.6

NA

NA

NA


Class BLW - Conventional Parameters:

Site ID

Data Source ID

Parameter Name

# Samples / # Years

Maximum Value

Mean Value

Median Value

# Acute / Chronic Violations

% Acute/ Chronic Violations

Significantly >10% Violations

Assessment Type

Support Level

22920004

6

Ammonia

14 / 5

0.624

0.09

0.03

0 / 1

0% / 7%

NO

Monitored

Full

22920004

6

Dissolved oxygen

14 / 5

16.8

9.2

9.5

NA / 2

NA / 14%

NO

Monitored

Full

22920004

6

pH

14 / 5

9.4

8.4

8.4

4 / NA

29% / NA

YES

Monitored

Not

22920004

6

Temperature

14 / 5

29.4

24.7

24

0 / 0

0% / 0%

NO

Monitored

Full


Class BLW - Lake Planktonic Cyanobacteria:

Site ID

Data Source ID

# Samples

Maximum Cyanobacteria Wet Mass

Maximum Cyanobacteria % Composition

Median Cyanobacteria Wet Mass

Median Cyanobacteria % Composition

Median Cyanobacteria Wet Mass = 75th Percentile

Assessment Type

Support Level

22920004

6

10

563.134

100 %

20.937

85.6 %

NO

Evaluated

NA


Class C - Conventional Parameters:

Site ID

Data Source ID

Parameter Name

# Samples / # Years

Maximum Value

Mean Value

Median Value

# Violations

% Violations

Significantly >10% Violations

Assessment Type

Support Level

22920004

6

Inorganic nitrogen (nitrate and nitrite)

14 / 5

4.4

0.87

0.2

0

0%

NO

Monitored

Full

  • The Class C uses are not assessed due to the lack of data sufficient for developing a valid assessment of support of the Class C uses.

Class HH - No Data


Note: Lake Darling was drawn down in 2009 as part of a restoration project at this lake. It remained drawn down in 2010.

Monitoring and Methods
Assessment Key Dates
7/16/2014
Fixed Monitoring Start Date
9/9/2018
Fixed Monitoring End Date
1/30/2003
TMDL Completed
Methods
120
Surveys of fish and game biologists/other professionals
222
Non-fixed-station monitoring (conventional during key seasons and flows)
340
Primary producer surveys (phytoplankton/periphyton/macrophyton)
420
Indicator bacteria monitoring