MBSS Site Summary for: AL-A-244-227-95


Located on FLAT RUN in the Fifteen Mile Creek watershed, 8-digit code: 02140511.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/28/1995 and again in the summer on 6/15/1995.

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 Poor - 1.3 / 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 803 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 0 %
Agricultural Land Use 4.1 %
Forested Land Use 95.6 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 7/20 (Marginal)
Epifaunal Substrate 5/20 (Poor)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 3/20 (Poor)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = meters 		7/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality 6/20 (Marginal)
Shading 95 %
Embeddedness 0 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 15.5 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 3.8 mg/L
Dissolved oxygen levels measured in the stream were very low (3.8 mg/L). Many fishes and other aquatic animals cannot tolerate low levels of oxygen in the water.
pH (lab) 6.77
Conductivity 47 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		144 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 1 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blacknose Dace 47
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Long-Tailed Salamander
Northern Dusky Salamander
Northern Slimy Salamander
Northern Two-Lined Salamander
Pickerel Frog
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
Epeorus Mayfly 25
Micropsectra Non-Biting Midges 17
Prosimulium Black Fly 10
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 8
Ameletus Combmouthed Minnow Mayfly 7
Ostrocerca Stonefly 5
Paraleptophlebia Blue Quill Mayfly 4
Caecidotea Isopod 3
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 3
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 2
Sweltsa Stonefly 2
Isoperla Stripetail Stonefly 2
Neophylax Caddisfly 2
Hexatoma Crane Fly 2
Heptageniidae Flathead Mayfly 2
Rhyacophila Free-Living Caddisfly 1
Dolophilodes Medium Evening Sedge Caddisfly 1
Oemopteryx Stonefly 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.