MBSS Site Summary for: BRET-106-B-2007

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site BRET-106-B-2007-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site BRET-106-B-2007-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on Nelson Run in the Breton Bay watershed, 8-digit code: 02140104.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/26/2007 and again in the summer on 6/20/2007.

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 - 1.7 / 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 431 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 0.6 %
Agricultural Land Use 39.6 %
Forested Land Use 58.3 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 3/20 (Poor)
Epifaunal Substrate 4/20 (Poor)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 2/20 (Poor)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 73 meters 		3/20 (Poor)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 2 meters 		2/20 (Poor)
Shading 90 %
Embeddedness 30 %
Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Poor' at this location.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 21.1 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 2.8 mg/L
Dissolved oxygen levels measured in the stream were very low (2.8 mg/L). Many fishes and other aquatic animals cannot tolerate low levels of oxygen in the water.
pH (lab) 5.78
Conductivity 106 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		70.2 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 5.9875 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 3 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Eastern Mudminnow 535
Bluegill 21
Green Sunfish 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Eastern Cricket Frog
Northern Green Frog
Northern Spring Peeper
Pickerel Frog
Spotted Salamander

Crayfish:
Cambarus diogenes

Exotic Plants:
No Exotic Plants Observed
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Diplocladius Non-Biting Midges 47
Musculium Fingernail Clam 21
Ablabesmyia Non-Biting Midge 6
Tubificidae Aquatic Worm 5
Crangonyx Amphipod 4
Spirosperma Aquatic Oligochaete Worm 4
Isotomurus Elongate-Bodied Springtail 4
Ironoquia Northern Caddisfly 3
Lumbriculidae Worm 3
Hydrobaenus Midge 2
Cura Flatworm 2
Caecidotea Isopod 1
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 1
Natarsia Non-Biting Midges 1
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Tribelos Non-Biting Midges 1
Zavrelimyia Non-Biting Midges 1
Naididae Aquatic Worm 1
Epitheca 1
Phagocata 1
Menetus Air Breathing Freshwater Snail 1
Ceratopogon Biting Midge 1
Ceratopogonidae Biting Midge 1
Stegopterna Black Fly 1
Hexatoma Crane Fly 1
Dicrotendipes 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.