MBSS Site Summary for: BACK-301-R-2009

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site BACK-301-R-2009-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site BACK-301-R-2009-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on Herring Run in the Back River watershed, 8-digit code: 02130901.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/5/2009 and again in the summer on 7/14/2009.

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 - 2.7 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Poor - 1.7 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 8,583 acres A highly channelized urban stream with concrete banks. An example of a highly channelized urban stream.
Urban Land Use 88.9 %
Agricultural Land Use 1.5 %
Forested Land Use 8.4 %


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 8/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 16/20 (Optimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 24 meters 		12/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 73 meters 		16/20 (Optimal)
Shading 45 %
Embeddedness 50 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 22.8 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 8 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.77
Conductivity 352 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		983.7 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.331 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 7 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Satinfin Shiner 309
Blacknose Dace 193
American Eel 131
Swallowtail Shiner 61
Redbreast Sunfish 41
White Sucker 12
Mummichog 3
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Northern Two-Lined Salamander
Red-Eared Slider

Crayfish:
Orconectes virilis

Exotic Plants:
English Ivy
Garlic Mustard
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Hops
Japanese Knotweed
Mimosa
Multiflora Rose
Tree Of Heaven
Vinca Vine
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 31
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 17
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 7
Cricotopus Non-Biting Midges 5
Lumbriculidae Worm 3
Cardiocladius Non-Biting Midge 3
Leucotrichia 2
Gammarus Amphipod 1
Naididae Aquatic Worm 1
Tubificidae Aquatic Worm 1
Antocha Crane Fly 1
Empididae Dance Fly 1
Ceratopsyche 1
Phaenopsectra Non-Biting Midges 1
Hemerodromia Tiny Fly 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.