MBSS Site Summary for: BROA-312-R-2017

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site BROA-312-R-2017-MidpointFacingDownstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site BROA-312-R-2017-MidpointFacingUpstream (Opens in a new window)

Located on Broad Creek in the Broad Creek watershed, 8-digit code: 02120205.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/23/2017 and again in the summer on 8/10/2017.

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 - 4.7 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Good - 5.0 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 8,048 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 10.9 %
Agricultural Land Use 66 %
Forested Land Use 20.5 %


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 16/20 (Optimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 46 meters 		15/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 29 meters 		16/20 (Optimal)
Shading 35 %
Embeddedness 40 %
Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Optimal' at this location.


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 7.12
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		359.1 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.2411 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 27 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Common Shiner 185
Spottail Shiner 176
Blacknose Dace 99
Cutlip Minnow 87
Longnose Dace 85
Rosyface Shiner 78
Central Stoneroller 73
Northern Hogsucker 70
White Sucker 62
Bluntnose Minnow 59
Tessellated Darter 43
Spotfin Shiner 39
River Chub 37
Creek Chub 33
Fallfish 20
Margined Madtom 13
Smallmouth Bass 11
Shield Darter 9
Bluegill 6
Largemouth Bass 5
Redbreast Sunfish 5
Green Sunfish 4
Rock Bass 4
American Eel 3
Brown Trout 1
Rosyside Dace 1
Yellow Bullhead 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Northern Green Frog
Pickerel Frog

Crayfish:
Cambarus bartonii bartonii
Orconectes virilis

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

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
ISONYCHIA Slate Drake Mayfly 42
MACCAFFERTIUM March Brown And Cahill Mayfly 20
CHEUMATOPSYCHE Net-Spinning Caddisfly 18
EPHEMERELLA Sulphur Mayfly 11
HYDROPSYCHE Net-Spinning Caddisfly 8
CHIMARRA Fingernet Caddisfly 6
ANTOCHA Crane Fly 4
OPTIOSERVUS Riffle Beetle 4
TANYTARSUS Non-Biting Midges 4
THIENEMANNIMYIA GROUP Non-Biting Midges 2
HYDROPTILA Microcaddisfly 2
POLYPEDILUM Non-Biting Midges 2
CRICOTOPUS Non-Biting Midges 2
NEOPLASTA 2
NAIDIDAE Aquatic Worm 2
STENELMIS Beetle 2
NEOPHYLAX Caddisfly 1
CORBICULA Basket Clam 1
PROCLOEON 1
SUBLETTEA 1
CLINOCERA Aquatic Dance Fly 1
HELICOPSYCHE 1
DICRANOTA Hairy-Eyed Cranefly 1
CORYNONEURA Non-Biting Midges 1
SERRATELLA Mayfly 1
LABRUNDINIA Non-Biting Midges 1
ORTHOCLADIUS Non-Biting Midges 1
PARAMETRIOCNEMUS Non-Biting Midges 1
OULIMNIUS Riffle Beetle 1
GLOSSOSOMATIDAE Saddlecase Maker Caddisfly 1
HEMERODROMIA Tiny Fly 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.