MBSS Site Summary for: BRIG-101-A-2013

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site BRIG-101-A-2013-MidpointDownstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site BRIG-101-A-2013-MidpointUpstream (Opens in a new window)

Located on DORSEY BRANCH in the Brighton Dam watershed, 8-digit code: 02131108.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/7/2013 and again in the summer on 7/15/2013.

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 Fair - 3.7 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
(Hint: Screen readers will announce definitions; mouse users can hover over dotted text.)
Catchment area 2,725 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 18.7 %
Agricultural Land Use 60.5 %
Forested Land Use 19.1 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 7/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 45 meters 		15/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 33 meters 		12/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 50 %
Embeddedness 75 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 75%. This is relatively high, and may exclude some biota.


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 7.21
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		410.4 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 0.6439 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 12 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blacknose Dace 254
Longnose Dace 97
Tessellated Darter 88
Rosyside Dace 64
Central Stoneroller 61
White Sucker 51
Creek Chub 35
Cutlip Minnow 15
Fallfish 8
Largemouth Bass 7
Bluegill 3
Bluntnose Minnow 3
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Northern Green Frog

Crayfish:
Orconectes virilis

Exotic Plants:
Garlic Mustard
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Mile-A-Minute
Multiflora Rose
Oriental Bittersweet
Wineberry
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 20
Prosimulium Black Fly 16
Sympotthastia Non-Biting Midges 14
Hydrobaenus Midge 6
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 4
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 4
Rheotanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 3
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 3
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 3
Diamesa Bloodworm 3
Stilocladius Midge 2
Neoplasta 2
Brillia Non-Biting Midges 2
Eccoptura Yellow Stone Stonefly 2
Optioservus Riffle Beetle 2
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 1
Prostoia Spring Stonefly 1
Polycentropus Tube Maker Caddisfly 1
Corynoneura Non-Biting Midges 1
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 1
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 1
LIMNEPHILIDAE Northern Casemaker Caddisfly 1
Sublettea 1
Anchytarsus Beetle 1
Stenelmis Beetle 1
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Neophylax Caddisfly 1
Antocha Crane Fly 1
Strophopteryx Early Brown Stonefly 1
Chimarra Fingernet Caddisfly 1
Dicranota Hairy-Eyed Cranefly 1
Maccaffertium March Brown And Cahill Mayfly 1
Teloganopsis Mayfly 1
Nigronia Megaloptera (Dark Fishfly) 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.