Iowa DNR
Iowa DNR
ADBNet
Water Quality Assessments
Impaired Waters List

South Skunk River IA 03-SSK-934

from the Ames Water Works dam in River Valley Park at Ames (S36 T84N R24W Story Co.) to the Co. Rd. at north line of S6 T85 R23W Story Co (approximately 1 mile NNE of Story City)

Assessment Cycle
2020
Release Status
Final
Data Collection Period
Overall IR Category
5 - Water is impaired or threatened and a TMDL is needed.
Trend
Unknown
Created
6/9/2020 10:45:37 AM
Updated
10/15/2020 11:56:21 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
5a - Pollutant-caused impairment. TMDL needed.
Cause Magnitude
Slight
Status
Continuing
Source
Unknown: Source Unknown
Source Confidence
N/A
Cycle Added
2004
Impairment Rationale
Geometric mean criterion exceeded
Data Source
Ambient monitoring: Iowa DNR-rivers
TMDL Priority
Tier III
Class BWW1
Aquatic Life
Warm Water Type 1
Partially Supported
Impairments
Support Level
Partially Supported
Impairment Code
5b-v - Biological - verified
Cause Magnitude
Slight
Status
Continuing
Source
Unknown: Source Unknown
Source Confidence
Low
Cycle Added
2016
Impairment Rationale
Low Biotic Index
Data Source
Biological monitoring: Iowa DNR WQMA
TMDL Priority
Tier IV
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: Confined Animal Feeding Operations
Source Confidence
N/A
Cycle Added
2014
Impairment Rationale
Pollutant-caused fish kill
Data Source
Fish kill investigation: Iowa DNR
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 use remains assessed as “partially supported” due to levels of indicator bacteria that violate state water quality criteria. The Class BWW1use was assessed as "partially supported" based on biological sampling data and on a fish kill investigation. All other designated uses were "not assessed".

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 2012-2014

10850003

South Skunk River Upstream of Ames (US1)

Iowa DNR

6

BIO

See Below

38

South Skunk River

Ames

Iowa DNR

6

BIO

See Below

972

South Skunk River

Ames – US1

Class A1 - Indicator Bacteria:

Site ID

Data Source ID

# Samples / # Years

2012 Geometric Mean

2013 Geometric Mean

2014 Geometric Mean

Annual Geometric Mean Violation

# Violations

% Violations

Significantly >10% Violations

Assessment Type

Support Level

10850003

6

22 / 3

46

94

223

Yes

7

32%

Yes

Evaluated

Partial

Class A - pH:

Site ID

Data Source ID

# Samples / # Years

Maximum Value

Mean Value

Median Value

# Violations

% Violations

Significantly >10% Violations

Assessment Type

Support Level

10850003

6

33 / 3

8.6

8.1

8.1

0

0%

No

Evaluated

Full

Class BWW1 - 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

10850003

6

Ammonia

33 / 3

1.7

0.15

0.05

0 / 0

0% / 0%

No

Evaluated

Full

10850003

6

Chloride

33 / 3

100

43

35

0 / 0

0% / 0%

No

Evaluated

Full

10850003

6

Dissolved oxygen

33 / 3

16.2

10.7

10.2

NA / 0

NA / 0%

No

Evaluated

Full

10850003

6

pH

33 / 3

8.6

8.1

8.1

0 / NA

0% / NA

No

Evaluated

Full

10850003

6

Sulfate

33 / 3

110

46

41

0 / NA

0% / NA

No

Evaluated

Full

10850003

6

Temperature

33 / 3

27.5

12

12.4

0 / 0

0% / 0%

No

Evaluated

Full

Class BWW1 - Biological Sampling:

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:

BioNet Site ID

Date

Drainage Area (mi2)

Ecoregion

Major Drainage/Thermal

BM Sample Gear

BMIBI score

BMIBI Class

47b BMIBI BIT

BMIBI Pass/ Fail

38

8/31/17

254

47b

MS/WW

Surb

58

Good

62

Fail

972

9/4/14

315

47b

MS/WW

Hess

53

Fair

62

Fail

972

9/4/14

315

47b

MS/WW

ArtSub

38

Fair

62

Fail

Fish:

BioNet Site ID

Date

Drainage Area (mi2)

Ecoregion

Major Drainage/Thermal

Riffle Stream?

FIBI score

FIBI Class

47b FIBI BIT

FIBI Pass/ Fail

38

8/31/17

254

47b

MS/WW

No

70

Good

32

Pass

38

7/18/13

254

47b

MS/WW

No

13

Poor

32

Fail

Overall:

Community

Assessment Type

Assessment Result

Support Level

Earned IR Category

Actual IR Category

Reason

Benthic Macroinvertebrates

Monitored

Fail (0/3)

Partial

Fish

Evaluated

Fail (1/2)

Partial

Overall

Monitored

Fail

Partial

5bv

5bv

Assessment is monitored because it included all BM samples were collected in the last five years.


Class BWW1 - Fishkill Assessment:

The Class BWW1 use previously resided in Category 4d based on the assessment developed for the 2011 fish kill. Because no additional fish kills were reported in this segment for at least five years post fish kill (2016), the Category for the fish kill assessment was changed from 4d to 3b (potentially impaired). DNR believes that any impact from the fish kill from which the impairment was based has likely dissipated. If no additional fish kills are reported in the segment for an additional five-year period (2021), the Category will be changed from 3b to 3a (water not assessed). Details about the 2011 fish kill can be found here:https://programs.iowadnr.gov/fishkill/Events/832.

Class HH - No data

Monitoring and Methods
Assessment Key Dates
8/4/2011
Fish Kill
7/18/2013
Biological Monitoring
9/4/2014
Biological Monitoring
1/10/2012
Fixed Monitoring Start Date
9/4/2014
Fixed Monitoring End Date
8/31/2017
Biological Monitoring
Methods
120
Surveys of fish and game biologists/other professionals
140
Incidence of spills and/or fish kills
150
Monitoring data more than 5 years old
210
Fixed station physical/chemical monitoring (conventional pollutants only)
315
Regional reference site approach
320
Benthic macroinvertebrate surveys
330
Fish surveys
420
Indicator bacteria monitoring