MBSS Site Summary for: AL-A-688-319-95


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 9,796 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 0 %
Agricultural Land Use 5.3 %
Forested Land Use 87.4 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = meters 		12/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality 17/20 (Optimal)
Shading 90 %
Embeddedness 10 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 17.9 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 7.7 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.12
Conductivity 49 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		181.5 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 5 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 392
Fantail Darter 15
Rock Bass 11
Greenside Darter 9
Green Sunfish 5
Longnose Dace 5
Smallmouth Bass 4
White Sucker 4
Blacknose Dace 2
Chain Pickerel 2
Bluegill 1
Bluntnose Minnow 1
Central Stoneroller 1
Creek Chub 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

Crayfish:
Cambarus

Exotic Plants:
No exotic plants noted.
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Isoperla Stripetail Stonefly 32
Prosimulium Black Fly 11
Epeorus Mayfly 9
Leuctra  Rolled-Winged Stonefly 9
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 8
Prostoia Spring Stonefly 7
Neophylax Caddisfly 7
Strophopteryx Early Brown Stonefly 5
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 5
Acerpenna Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 4
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 3
Chimarra Fingernet Caddisfly 3
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 3
Leucrocuta Mayfly 2
Cricotopus/Orthocladius Midge 2
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 2
Cinygmula Dark Red Quill Mayfly 2
Corynoneura Non-Biting Midges 1
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 1
Sweltsa 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.