Bear Creek IA 03-SSK-959

from north line of S32 T85N R23W (Story Co.) to confluence with unnamed tributary in NE 1/4 S23 T86N R23W Hamilton Co.

Open Data Collection Period Modal

For purposes of developing stream/river water quality assessments for integrated reporting, three years of water quality data are typically used for both conventional pollutant parameters (e.g., indicator bacteria) and the less frequently monitored toxic parameters (e.g., toxic metals). Since the 2004 IR cycle, DNR has used a three-year data gathering period for streams, rivers, and beaches. For most assessments, the use of three years of data increases the number of samples upon which the decision on use support is based and helps address the problem of weather-related year-to-year fluctuations in water quality.

Due to the lower sampling frequency in Iowa’s ambient lake, biological, fish kill, and fish tissue monitoring programs, five years of data are used for developing IR assessments and for identifying Section 303(d) listings.

Data Type	Data Timeframe
Beach Sampling Data	CY 2018 - 2020
Stream/River Water Quality Data	CY 2018 - 2020
Lake Water Quality Data	CY 2016 - 2020
Biological Sampling Data	CY 2016 - 2020*
Fish Kill Data	CY 2016 - 2020
Fish Tissue Sampling Data	CY 2016 - 2020
Continuous Dissolved Oxygen Sampling Data	CY 2016 - 2020
*Biological sites sampled in both 2015 and 2019 were also assessed.

Open Segment Map
View assessment methodology in new window

Cycle: 2022
Release Status: Final
Overall IR: 3 - Insufficient data exist to determine whether any designated uses are met.
Trend: Unknown
Created: 12/22/2021 2:39:33 PM
Updated: 1/13/2022 11:45:25 AM

Use Support

Class A1

Presumptive Use

Recreation - Primary contact

Not Assessed

Class BWW1

Presumptive Use

Aquatic Life - Warm Water Type 1

WINOFI

Biological: low fish & invert IBIs- cause unknown

Support Level

Further Investigation Needed

Impairment Code

3b-u - Use potentially biologically impaired based on uncalibrated IBI metrics.

Cause Magnitude

Moderate

Status

Continuing

Source

Unknown: Source Unknown

Source Confidence

Low

Cycle Added

2004

Impairment Rationale

Low Biotic Index

Data Source

Biological monitoring: Iowa DNR WQMA

Impairment Delistings

No delistings for this assessment cycle.

Documentation

Assessment Summary

The presumptive Class BWW1 use was assessed as "WINOFI" based on biological sampling data. All other designated uses were "not assessed."

Assessment Explanation

Data Sources:

Data Source	Data Source ID	Data Type	Data Age	Site ID	Site Name	Site Description
Iowa DNR	6	BIO	See Below	109	Bear Creek	Roland WWTP - DS
Iowa DNR	6	BIO	See Below	110	Bear Creek	Roland WWTP - US
Iowa DNR	6	BIO	See Below	654	Bear Creek	Roland – Mixed HWCRS

Presumptive Class A1 - No Data

Presumptive 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
109	9/10/03	19	47b	MS/WW	Surb	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
654	9/28/07	15	47b	MS/WW	No	35	Fair	32	Pass
109	9/10/03	19	47b	MS/WW	No	20	Poor	32	Fail
110	9/10/03	18	47b	MS/WW	No	26	Fair	32	Fail

Overall:

Community	Assessment Type	Assessment Result	Support Level	IR Category	Reason
Benthic Macroinvertebrates	Evaluated	Fail (0/1)	Not
Fish	Evaluated	Fail (1/3)	Not
Overall	Evaluated	Fail	WINOFI	3bu	Assessment was evaluated because it included samples not collected in the last five years and the drainage areas of the samples sites were smaller than the calibrated range.

Monitoring and Methods

Assessment Key Dates

9/10/2003

Biological Monitoring

9/28/2007

Biological Monitoring

Methods

150

Monitoring data more than 5 years old

315

Regional reference site approach

320

Benthic macroinvertebrate surveys

330

Fish surveys