Lake Smith IA 04-EDM-981

Kossuth County S36T96NR29W 3 mi. N of Algona.

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 2016 - 2018
Stream/River Water Quality Data	CY 2016 - 2018
Lake Water Quality Data	CY 2014 - 2018
Biological Sampling Data	CY 2014 - 2018*
Fish Kill Data	CY 2014 - 2018
Fish Tissue Sampling Data	CY 2014 - 2018
Continuous Dissolved Oxygen Sampling Data	CY 2014 - 2018
*Biological sites sampled in both 2013 and 2017 were also assessed.

Open Segment Map
View assessment methodology in new window

Cycle: 2020
Release Status: Final
Overall IR: 4 - Water is impaired or threatened and a TMDL has been completed or is not needed.
Trophic: Eutrophic
Trend: Stable
Created: 7/31/2020 1:27:47 PM
Updated: 10/14/2020 10:42:49 AM

Use Support

Class A1

Recreation - Primary contact

Partially Supported

Algal Growth: Chlorophyll a

Support Level

Partially Supported

Impairment Code

4a - Pollutant-caused impairment. TMDL has been completed.

Cause Magnitude

Moderate

Status

Continuing

Source

Agriculture

Source Confidence

Moderate

Cycle Added

2002

Impairment Rationale

Narrative criteria violation: aesthetically objectionable conditions

Data Source

Ambient monitoring: Iowa DNR-lakes

Class BLW

Aquatic Life - Lakes and wetlands

Fully Supported

Class HH

Human Health -

Fully Supported

General Use

General Use water -

Not Assessed

Impairment Delistings

No delistings for this assessment cycle.

Documentation

Assessment Summary

The Class A1 uses are assessed (monitored) as “partially supported” due to high levels of algae (chlorophyll a) and poor water clarity. The Class BLW uses are assessed (monitored) as “fully supported.” Class HH uses are assessed as "fully supporting" based on fish tissue sampling. A TMDL for noxious aquatic plants at Lake Smith was prepared by DNR and approved by EPA in 2005. The basis of the impairment at this lake was high populations of cyanobacteria (=noxious aquatic plants). Based on recent monitoring, a fish kill in the winter of 2000-01 and a subsequent lake renovation has significantly decreased the amount of cyanobacteria in this lake. Recent ISU lake monitoring data strongly suggest that the impairment due to noxious aquatic plants (cyanobacteria) no longer exists. Non-cyanobacteria algal populations, however, remain elevated at this lake and suggest "partial support" of the Class A1 uses. Because algae populations are addressed in the TMDL this lake is placed in IR Category 4a (impaired; TMDL approved) for the current assessment cycle.

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 2014-2018	22550001	Smith Lake
Iowa DNR		FT	See Below	310	Smith Lake

Class A1 - Indicator Bacteria: No Data

Class A1 - pH:

Site ID	Data Source ID	# Samples / # Years	Maximum Value	Mean Value	Median Value	# Violations	% Violations	Significantly >10% Violations	Assessment Type	Support Level
22550001	6	15 / 5	9.8	8.6	8.6	3	20%	NO	Monitored	Full

Class A1 - Lake TSI's

Site ID	Data Source ID	Parameter Name	# Samples / # Years	Minimum Value	Maximum Value	Median Value	Median TSI Violation	Assessment Type	Support Level
22550001	6	Chlorophyll a TSI	15 / 5	44	84	65	YES	Monitored	Not
22550001	6	Secchi TSI	15 / 5	47	76	63	NO	Monitored	Full
22550001	6	Total Phosphorus TSI	15 / 5	58	95	69	NA	NA	NA
22550001	6	Inorganic suspended solids	15 / 5	0.3	14.2	2.7	NA	NA	NA

Class BLW - 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
22550001	6	Ammonia	15 / 5	0.16805	0.06	0.06	0 / 0	0% / 0%	NO	Monitored	Full
22550001	6	Dissolved oxygen	15 / 5	12.8	9.9	10.3	NA / 0	NA / 0%	NO	Monitored	Full
22550001	6	pH	15 / 5	9.8	8.6	8.6	3 / NA	20% / NA	NO	Monitored	Full
22550001	6	Temperature	15 / 5	28.8	22.8	22.4	0 / 0	0% / 0%	NO	Monitored	Full

Class BLW - Lake Planktonic Cyanobacteria:

Site ID	Data Source ID	# Samples	Maximum Cyanobacteria Wet Mass	Maximum Cyanobacteria % Composition	Median Cyanobacteria Wet Mass	Median Cyanobacteria % Composition	Median Cyanobacteria Wet Mass = 75th Percentile	Assessment Type	Support Level
22550001	6	11	39.535	99.3 %	2.502	3.5 %	NO	Evaluated	NA

Class HH - Fish Tissue Sampling:

Site ID

Date

Species Name

Biopart

# in sample

chlordane result

chlordane violation?

PCBs result

PCBs violation?

Hg result

Hg violation?

Assessment Type

Support Level

310

7/31/13

channel catfish

fillet

<0.2

<0.6

0.06

Evaluated

Full

310

7/31/13

largemouth bass

plug

0.248

Evaluated

Full

Monitoring and Methods

Assessment Key Dates

7/31/2013

Fish Tissue Monitoring

6/2/2014

Fixed Monitoring Start Date

9/5/2018

Fixed Monitoring End Date

Methods

120

Surveys of fish and game biologists/other professionals

222

Non-fixed-station monitoring (conventional during key seasons and flows)

340

Primary producer surveys (phytoplankton/periphyton/macrophyton)