Iowa DNR
Iowa DNR
ADBNet
Water Quality Assessments
Impaired Waters List

Lake Smith IA 04-EDM-981

Kossuth County S36T96NR29W 3 mi. N of Algona.

Cycle
2022
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
12/27/2021 1:20:57 PM
Updated
1/28/2022 6:54:44 AM
Use Support
Class A1
Recreation - Primary contact
Not Supported
Support Level
Not 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
Impairment Delistings
No delistings for this assessment cycle.
Documentation
Assessment Summary

The Class A1 use was assessed (monitored) as “not supported” due to high levels of algae (chlorophyll a) and poor water clarity. The Class BLW use was assessed (monitored) as “fully supported.” The Class HH (fish consumption) use was assessed as "fully supported" based on fish tissue sampling data. 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 "non support" of the Class A1 use. 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

Data Sources:

Data Source

Data Source ID

Data Type

Data Age

Site ID

Site Name

Site Description

Iowa DNR

6

WQ

CY 2016-2019

22550001

Smith Lake

Iowa DNR

6

FT

See Below

310

Smith Lake

Smith Lake Park

Class A1 - Indicator Bacteria: No Data

Class A1 - pH:

Site ID

Data Source ID

# Samples / # Years

Minimum Value

Maximum Value

Mean Value

# Violations

Violations needed for impairment

Violates Significantly >10% Rule?

Assessment Type

Support Level

22550001

6

12 / 4

7.8

9.8

8.6

3

4

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

12 / 4

44

75

59

NO

Monitored

Full

22550001

6

Secchi TSI

12 / 4

47

76

64

NO

Monitored

Full

22550001

6

Total Phosphorus TSI

12 / 4

58

85

68

NA

NA

NA

22550001

6

Inorganic suspended solids

12 / 4

0.3

14.2

1.4

NA

NA

NA

Although the index value for Chlorophyll a is below the impairment trigger of 65 for this assessment cycle, the Class A1 use of Smith Lake remains "not supported" due to aesthetically objectionable conditions. Based on DNR's methodology, the median TSI value for Chlorophyll a must be 63 or less for two consecutive assessment/listing cycles before a lake can be removed from the state's Section 303(d) list (IR Category 5). Therefore, Smith Lake will remain listed as "not supported" for the 2022 assessment/listing cycle.

Class BLW - Conventional Parameters:

Site ID

Data Source ID

Parameter Name

# Samples / # Years

Minimum Value

Maximum Value

Mean Value

# Violations

# Acute / Chronic Violations

Violations needed for impairment

Violates Significantly >10% Rule?

Assessment Type

Support Level

22550001

6

Ammonia

12 / 4

0.0003

0.088

0.04

NA

0 / 0

4

NO

Monitored

Full

22550001

6

Dissolved Oxygen

12 / 4

5.4

12.8

10.1

0

NA / NA

4

NO

Monitored

Full

22550001

6

pH

12 / 4

7.8

9.8

8.6

3

NA / NA

4

NO

Monitored

Full

22550001

6

Temperature

12 / 4

15.9

28.8

22.9

0

NA / NA

4

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 Concentration = 75th Percentile

Assessment Type

Support Level

22550001

6

6

39.54

99.3%

2.92

7.1%

NO

Evaluated

NA

Class HH - Fish Tissue Sampling:

Site ID

Biopart

Year

Species

# in sample / # of samples

Avg Length (cm)

(Avg) Hg (ppm)

Chlordane (ppm)

Sum PCBs (ppm)

310

fillet

2013

channel catfish

4

56.5

0.06

<0.2

<0.6

310

tissue plug

2013

largemouth bass

5

36.6

0.248

Support Level

Full

Monitoring and Methods
Assessment Key Dates
7/31/2013
Fish Tissue Monitoring
5/31/2016
Non-fixed Monitoring Start Date
9/5/2019
Non-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)
260
Fish tissue analysis
340
Primary producer surveys (phytoplankton/periphyton/macrophyton)