MBSS Site Summary for: AL-A-033-314-95


Located on FIFTEENMILE CR in the Fifteen Mile Creek watershed, 8-digit code: 02140511.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/21/1995 and again in the summer on 7/20/1995.

Index of Biotic Integrity (IBI) Results:

An Index of Biotic Integrity (IBI) is a scientific tool used to identify and classify stream health. An IBI associates anthropogenic influences on a stream or with biological condition in the stream, and is formulated using data developed from biosurveys.
Details on the development and application of MBSS IBIs are in this document.
Fish IBI Good - 4.7 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Good - 4.3 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 9,143 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 0 %
Agricultural Land Use 5.7 %
Forested Land Use 86.5 %


Stream showing woody debris, logs, and rocky substrate.
An example of woody debris in a stream.

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 17/20 (Optimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 17/20 (Optimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = meters 		13/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality 19/20 (Optimal)
Shading 60 %
Embeddedness 10 %
Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Optimal' at this location.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 19 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 8.2 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.07
Conductivity 50 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		182.2 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 2 mg/L

Biological Stream Condition:

Surveys of the organisms living within a stream can give indications of stream health. Species richness, or the number of different species present, as well as indicator species (species whose presence, absence or abundance can serve as a measure of environmental conditions) are informative for stream health. 		Close-up of a mayfly indicator species.

Fish Survey Results:
The following 14 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Potomac Sculpin 302
Blacknose Dace 61
Creek Chub 46
Fantail Darter 31
Bluntnose Minnow 16
Longnose Dace 9
Chain Pickerel 3
Greenside Darter 3
Rock Bass 3
White Sucker 3
Green Sunfish 2
Central Stoneroller 1
Creek Chubsucker 1
Smallmouth Bass 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Long-Tailed Salamander
Northern Dusky Salamander
Northern Two-Lined Salamander
Wood Frog

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
No exotic plants noted.
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Isoperla Stripetail Stonefly 28
Prosimulium Black Fly 25
Epeorus Mayfly 10
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 7
Leuctra  Rolled-Winged Stonefly 6
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 5
Acerpenna Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 4
Heptagenia 4
Neophylax Caddisfly 3
Conchapelopia Non-Biting Midges 3
Micropsectra Non-Biting Midges 3
Sweltsa Stonefly 3
Lumbriculidae Worm 2
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 2
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 2
Ameletus Combmouthed Minnow Mayfly 2
Chimarra Fingernet Caddisfly 2
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 1
Caecidotea Isopod 1
Hexatoma Crane Fly 1
Strophopteryx Early Brown Stonefly 1
Isonychia Slate Drake Mayfly 1
Prostoia Spring Stonefly 1
Nigronia Megaloptera (Dark Fishfly) 1
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Kick net sampling for macroinvertebrates.
Sampling with a kick net.

Information disclaimer: The information and data on this page is for guidance and general planning purposes only. It should not be used to make decisions on specific matters.