MBSS Site Summary for: BELK-116-R-2003

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site BELK-116-R-2003-0992 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site BELK-116-R-2003-0993 (Opens in a new window)

Located on BIG ELK CR UT1 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 Poor - 1.3 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Poor - 1.3 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 74 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 7 %
Agricultural Land Use 77 %
Forested Land Use 14 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 10/20 (Marginal)
Epifaunal Substrate 10/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 5/20 (Poor)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 43 meters 		7/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 32 meters 		7/20 (Marginal)
Shading 95 %
Embeddedness 30 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 19.1 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 7 mg/L
pH (lab) 6.88
Conductivity 123 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		390.3 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 14.5 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 2 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blacknose Dace 28
Creek Chub 12
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Northern Green Frog
Northern Two-Lined Salamander

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Canada Thistle
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Mile-A-Minute
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Hydrobaenus Midge 55
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 33
Stenelmis Beetle 7
Diamesa Bloodworm 6
Spirosperma Aquatic Oligochaete Worm 4
Pisidium Freshwater Pea (Pill) Clam 4
Tipula Crane Fly 3
Orthocladiinae Midge 3
Physa Air-Breathing Freshwater Snail 3
Lumbriculidae Worm 3
Prostoma Freshwater Nemertean (Ribbon Worm) 2
Enchytraeidae Aquatic Worm 2
Nigronia Megaloptera (Dark Fishfly) 1
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Conchapelopia Non-Biting Midges 1
Corynoneura Non-Biting Midges 1
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 1
Rheocricotopus Non-Biting Midges 1
Thienemannimyia group Non-Biting Midges 1
Ironoquia Northern Caddisfly 1
Pisidiidae Pill Clam 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.