Mud Creek IA 03-SSK-946

Assessment Comments

Sampling is baed on 1998 Biocriteria sampling: Fish IBI=31 (fair), BM-IBI=52 (fair).

Basis for Assessment

The assessment was based on data collected in 1998 as part of the DNR/UHL stream biocriteria development 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 (F-IBI) and a benthic macroinvertebrate index (BM-IBI).   The indexes rank the biological integrity of a stream sampling reach on a rising scale from 0 (minimum)-100 (maximum).  

The F-IBI score was 31 (fair), and the BM-IBI score was 52 (fair).   The aquatic life use support status was assessed as fully supporting/threatened (=FS/T), based on a comparison of the F-IBI and BM-IBI scores with biological assessment criteria established specifically for the 2000 Section 305b report (IDNR 2000).   The biological assessment criteria were determined from a statistical analysis of data collected at stream ecoregion reference sites from 1994-1998.