MBSS Site Summary for: BELK-109-R-2016

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site BELK-109-R-2016_midpoint downstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site BELK-109-R-2016_midpoint upstream (Opens in a new window)

Located on Grannies Branch in the Big Elk Creek watershed, 8-digit code: 02130606.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/9/2016 and again in the summer on 8/3/2016.

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 Good - 4.0 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Fair - 3.7 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 217 acres Cows standing in a stream at a site with high agricultural land use. Cows survey the sampling procedure at this extreme example of a highly agriculturalized site.
Urban Land Use 27.4 %
Agricultural Land Use 40.9 %
Forested Land Use 27.2 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 55 meters 		11/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 22 meters 		12/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 80 %
Embeddedness 45 %


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 6.82
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		622.1 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.2141 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
Blacknose Dace 123
Blue Ridge Sculpin 57
Rosyside Dace 44
Creek Chub 32
White Sucker 8
Brown Trout 5
American Eel 3
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Northern Green Frog

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Garlic Mustard
Japanese Stiltgrass
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Trissopelopia Non-Biting Midges 15
Anchytarsus Beetle 11
Eurylophella Mayfly 9
Diplectrona Net-Spinning Caddisfly 8
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 7
Dicranota Hairy-Eyed Cranefly 7
Micropsectra Non-Biting Midges 6
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 6
Maccaffertium March Brown And Cahill Mayfly 5
Neophylax Caddisfly 4
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 4
Oulimnius Riffle Beetle 4
Leuctridae Rolledwinged Stonefly 4
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 3
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 3
Chloroperlidae Green Stonefly 3
Tipula Crane Fly 2
Rhyacophila Free-Living Caddisfly 2
Stenelmis Beetle 2
Prosimulium Black Fly 2
Simulium Black Fly 2
Sympotthastia Non-Biting Midges 2
Optioservus Riffle Beetle 2
Capniidae Small Winter Stonefly 1
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 1
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 1
Lumbriculidae Worm 1
Perlodidae Perlodid Stonefly 1
Paratanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 1
Antocha Crane Fly 1
Stagnicola Air Breathing Freshwater Snail 1
Physa Air-Breathing Freshwater Snail 1
Pycnopsyche Great Autumn Brown Sedge Caddisfly 1
Caecidotea Isopod 1
Orthocladiinae Midge 1
Lype Net Tube 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.