Assessment Comments
Assessment remains based on 1999 and 2007 IDNR/UHL biological monitoring data: FIBI = 27, 42 (fair) and 61 (good); BMIBI = 45, 53 (fair) and 61 (good). FIBI BIC = 36, BMIBI BIC = 51.
Basis for Assessment
Note: Prior to the 2008 Section 305(b) cycle, this stream segment was designated only for Class B(LR) aquatic life uses. Due to changes in Iowa’s surface water classification that were approved by U.S. EPA in February 2008, this segment is now presumptively designated for Class A1 (primary contact recreation) uses. The stream remains designated for aquatic life uses (now termed Class B(WW2) aquatic life uses). Thus, for the current (2012) assessment, the available water quality monitoring data will be compared to the applicable Class A1 and Class B(WW2) water quality criteria.
SUMMARY: The presumptive Class A1 (primary contact recreation) uses remain "not assessed" due to the lack of information upon which to base an assessment. The Class B(WW2) aquatic life uses are assessed (evaluated) as "fully supported" based on results of IDNR/UHL biological (biocriteria) sampling in 1999 and 2007. Although the results of the 2007 biological sampling suggest "full support of the aquatic life uses, an additional confirmation sample is required before this impairment can be removed from Iowa's Section 303(d) list.
EXPLANATION: The Class B(WW2) aquatic life uses are assessed (evaluated) as “fully supported” was based on data collected in 1999 and 2007 as part of the IDNR/UHL stream biocriteria project. A series of biological metrics which reflect stream water quality and habitat integrity were calculated from the biocriteria sampling data. The biological metrics are based on the numbers and types of benthic macroinvertebrate taxa and fish species that were 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 1999 FIBI score was 27 (fair) and the BMIBI score was 45 (fair). The 2007 FIBI scores were 42 (fair) and 61 (good) and the BMIBI scores were 53 (fair) and 61 (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 biological impairment criteria were determined from a statistical analysis of data collected at stream ecoregion reference sites from 1994-2004. The FIBI BIC for this ecoregion is 36 and the BMIBI BIC for this ecoregion is 51. This segment passed the FIBI BIC 2/3 times and passed the BMIBI BIC 2/3 times in the last 12 years.
This aquatic life assessment is now 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 over a five-year period to be considered “monitored”. This segment had multiple samples collected in the previous 10 years (1999-2010); however, the multiple samples collected during the five-year period were not collected in multiple years. However, despite this change in assessment methodology and type, this waterbody remained on Iowa’s 2010 Section 303(d) list and remains on the 2012 list of impaired waters as a fully supporting - evaluated waterbody.
