MBSS Site Summary for: BRET-117-R-2016

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site BRET-117-R-2016-MidpointDownstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site BRET-117-R-2016-MidpointUpstream (Opens in a new window)

Located on UT to Brooks Run in the Breton Bay watershed, 8-digit code: 02140104.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/29/2016 and again in the summer on 6/14/2016.

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 Poor - 2.0 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Fair - 3.0 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 403 acres A highly channelized urban stream with concrete banks. An example of a highly channelized urban stream.
Urban Land Use 18.9 %
Agricultural Land Use 4.9 %
Forested Land Use 70.6 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 6/20 (Marginal)
Epifaunal Substrate 9/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 7/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 50 meters 		7/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 26 meters 		6/20 (Marginal)
Shading 80 %
Embeddedness 90 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 90%. This is relatively high, and may exclude some biota.


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 6.23
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		78.4 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 3.72 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 30
American Eel 1
Tessellated Darter 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Northern Green Frog

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Leuctra  Rolled-Winged Stonefly 24
Trissopelopia Non-Biting Midges 12
Stegopterna Black Fly 10
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 9
Synurella Amphipod 8
Zavrelimyia Non-Biting Midges 8
Caecidotea Isopod 7
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 7
Diplectrona Net-Spinning Caddisfly 4
Prosimulium Black Fly 3
Simulium Black Fly 2
Ceratopogon Biting Midge 2
Tanypodinae Non-Biting Midges 2
Limnephilidae Northern Casemaker Caddisfly 2
Neoporous Predaceous Diving Beetle 1
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 1
Hydrobius Water Scavenger Beetle 1
Ablabesmyia Non-Biting Midge 1
Tribelos Non-Biting Midges 1
Pseudolimnophila Crane Fly 1
Calopteryx Damselfly 1
Chrysops Deerfly 1
Gymnometriocnemus 1
Anchytarsus Beetle 1
Crangonyx Amphipod 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.