MBSS Site Summary for: BRET-450-H-2012

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site BRET-450-H-2012-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site BRET-450-H-2012-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on MCINTOSH RUN in the Breton Bay watershed, 8-digit code: 02140104.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/5/2012 and again in the summer on 6/15/2012.

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 Good - 4.7 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 17,422 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 4.9 %
Agricultural Land Use 26.2 %
Forested Land Use 67.9 %


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 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 72 meters 		16/20 (Optimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 9 meters 		8/20 (Marginal)
Shading 85 %
Embeddedness 25 %
Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Optimal' at this location.


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 7.07
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		328.4 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 4.8713 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 14 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Spottail Shiner 186
Tessellated Darter 172
Redbreast Sunfish 66
American Eel 64
Least Brook Lamprey 49
Rosyface Shiner 36
Margined Madtom 17
Eastern Mudminnow 16
Swallowtail Shiner 15
Green Sunfish 14
Pumpkinseed 12
Bluegill 2
Sea Lamprey 2
Pirate Perch 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Cope's Gray Treefrog
Eastern Wormsnake
Fowler's Toad
Northern Green Frog
Southern Leopard Frog

Crayfish:
Orconectes limosus

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Honeysuckle
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Prosimulium Black Fly 16
Acerpenna Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 14
Rheotanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 11
Rheocricotopus Non-Biting Midges 10
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 8
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 7
Maccaffertium March Brown And Cahill Mayfly 5
Isoperla Stripetail Stonefly 4
Gammarus Amphipod 3
Goniobasis 2
Micrasema 2
Eurylophella Mayfly 2
Leucrocuta Mayfly 2
Sphaerium Fingernail Clam 2
HEPTAGENIIDAE Flathead Mayfly 1
Girardia Freshwater Flatworm 1
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 1
Psectrocladius Non-Biting Midge 1
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 1
Synurella Amphipod 1
Stenelmis Beetle 1
Simulium Black Fly 1
Stegopterna Black Fly 1
Neophylax Caddisfly 1
Musculium Fingernail Clam 1
Psephenus Water Penny 1
Campeloma 1
Thienemanniella Non-Biting Midges 1
Macronychus Riffle Beetle 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.