MBSS Site Summary for: BELK-110-R-2003

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site BELK-110-R-2003-0990 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site BELK-110-R-2003-0991 (Opens in a new window)

Located on GRAMIES RUN in the Big Elk Creek watershed, 8-digit code: 02130606.
This stream was visited in the spring on 4/9/2003 and again in the summer on 7/30/2003.

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 - 5.0 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Good - 4.7 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 255 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 3 %
Agricultural Land Use 65 %
Forested Land Use 32 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 16/20 (Optimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 17/20 (Optimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 42 meters 		12/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 39 meters 		13/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 96 %
Embeddedness 15 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 16.5 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 8.2 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.05
Conductivity 156 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		711.7 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 5.8 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 9 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blue Ridge Sculpin 234
Blacknose Dace 110
Rosyside Dace 35
American Eel 15
Creek Chub 11
Least Brook Lamprey 6
Tessellated Darter 3
White Sucker 3
Longnose Dace 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Northern Two-Lined Salamander
Wood Frog

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 23
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 12
Serratella Mayfly 10
Eurylophella Mayfly 7
Tanytarsini Non-Biting Midges 5
Neophylax Caddisfly 5
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 4
Leptophlebiidae Pronggilled Mayfly 4
Elmidae Riffle Beetle 3
Rheocricotopus Non-Biting Midges 3
Diamesa Bloodworm 3
Diplectrona Net-Spinning Caddisfly 3
Micropsectra Non-Biting Midges 3
Heptageniidae Flathead Mayfly 3
Rhyacophila Free-Living Caddisfly 3
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 3
Oulimnius Riffle Beetle 2
Ectopria Water Penny Beetle 2
Pycnopsyche Great Autumn Brown Sedge Caddisfly 2
Chloroperlidae Green Stonefly 2
Lepidostoma Little Brown Sedge Caddisfly 2
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 2
Simulium Black Fly 2
Chelifera Aquatic Dance Fly 2
Bezzia Biting Midge 2
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 2
Conchapelopia Non-Biting Midges 2
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 2
Trissopelopia Non-Biting Midges 2
Optioservus Riffle Beetle 1
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 1
Tanypodinae Non-Biting Midges 1
Nigronia Megaloptera (Dark Fishfly) 1
Prosimulium Black Fly 1
Simuliidae Black Fly 1
Anchytarsus Beetle 1
Trichoptera Caddisfly 1
Antocha Crane Fly 1
Calopteryx Damselfly 1
Sialis Alderfly 1
Oecetis Long-Horned 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.