Ballard Creek IA 03-SSK-952

Assessment Comments

Stream use assessment.

Basis for Assessment

Used a review of the field sheets from the September 1990 DNR stream use assessments in Story County to continue to assess support of the Class B(LR) aquatic life uses as FST due to (1) relatively diverse fish communities in the middle and upper reaches of this stream (species/families: 14/5; 10/3) for streams in the Des Moines Lobe subecoregion, (2) presence of nearly all the expected fish taxa (10 of 11) for streams in this subregion, and (3) indications on field sheet of above average habitat quality with very diverse substrates, several pool/riffle sequences, and with areas of no channel alterations.   Habitat quality declines drastically where stream reaches the floodplain of the S.  Skunk River, probably due to predominance of sand subtrates in floodplain streams.   Data upon which this assessment is based are more than 5 years old.   Additional monitoring is needed to update the assessment and to determine the status of the aquatic communities and habitats.