MBSS Site Summary for: BACK-111-R-2016

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site BACK-111-R-2016_midpoint downstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site BACK-111-R-2016_midpoint upstream (Opens in a new window)

Located on Redhouse Creek in the Back River watershed, 8-digit code: 02130901.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/3/2016 and again in the summer on 6/20/2016.

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 Fair - 3.0 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Poor - 2.1 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 1,879 acres A highly channelized urban stream with concrete banks. An example of a highly channelized urban stream.
Urban Land Use 90 %
Agricultural Land Use 0 %
Forested Land Use 9.4 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 5/20 (Poor)
Epifaunal Substrate 4/20 (Poor)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 6/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 51 meters 		6/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 24 meters 		6/20 (Marginal)
Shading 60 %
Embeddedness 90 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 90%. This is relatively high, and may exclude some biota.


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 7.58
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		1476 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 2.0112 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 8 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blacknose Dace 89
Creek Chub 56
White Sucker 41
Tessellated Darter 21
Redbreast Sunfish 9
Mummichog 8
Swallowtail Shiner 8
American Eel 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
No amphibians and reptiles noted.

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Knotweed
Multiflora Rose
Oriental Bittersweet
White Mulberry
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Tubificidae Aquatic Worm 25
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 20
Crambidae 18
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 16
Cricotopus Non-Biting Midges 8
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 8
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 6
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 6
Argia Narrow-Winged Damselfly 5
Orthocladiinae Midge 4
Coenagrionidae Narrowwinged Damselfly 3
Calopteryx Damselfly 2
Stenochironomus European Non-Biting Midge 2
Crangonyx Amphipod 2
Antocha Crane Fly 1
Chimarra Fingernet Caddisfly 1
Thienemannimyia Group Non-Biting Midges 1
Tanypodinae Non-Biting Midges 1
Tanytarsini Non-Biting Midges 1
Chironomini Non-Biting Midge 1
Nanocladius Non-Biting Midges 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.