MBSS Site Summary for: BROA-314-R-2008

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site BROA-314-R-2008-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site BROA-314-R-2008-2 (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 3/19/2008 and again in the summer on 7/31/2008.

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 - 4.3 / 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 23,944 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 1.6 %
Agricultural Land Use 63.7 %
Forested Land Use 33.7 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 18/20 (Optimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 70 meters 		18/20 (Optimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 5 meters 		16/20 (Optimal)
Shading 50 %
Embeddedness 15 %
Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Optimal' at this location.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 23.8 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 6.8 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.36
Conductivity 156 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		343.6 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 0.7822 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 29 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Tessellated Darter 61
Green Sunfish 56
Bluegill 51
Spotfin Shiner 43
Bluntnose Minnow 41
Banded Darter 33
Gizzard Shad 33
Central Stoneroller 30
White Sucker 28
Northern Hogsucker 27
Longnose Dace 21
Smallmouth Bass 17
River Chub 13
Margined Madtom 10
Channel Catfish 9
Common Shiner 7
Largemouth Bass 7
Greenside Darter 6
Common Carp 5
Pumpkinseed 3
Rosyface Shiner 3
Yellow Bullhead 3
Redbreast Sunfish 2
Walleye 2
Blacknose Dace 1
Brown Bullhead 1
Fallfish 1
Golden Redhorse 1
Rock Bass 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Eastern American Toad
Eastern Box Turtle
Northern Watersnake
Pickerel Frog

Crayfish:
Orconectes virilis

Exotic Plants:
Autumn Olive
Garlic Mustard
Japanese Barberry
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Mile-A-Minute
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 25
Isonychia Slate Drake Mayfly 20
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 14
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 6
Maccaffertium March Brown And Cahill Mayfly 5
Clinocera Aquatic Dance Fly 4
Corydalus Dobsonfly 4
Chimarra Fingernet Caddisfly 4
Ferrissia Small Air-Breathing Freshwater Limpets 4
Orthocladiinae Midge 3
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 3
Prosimulium Black Fly 3
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 3
Thienemanniella Non-Biting Midges 3
Optioservus Riffle Beetle 2
Antocha Crane Fly 2
Acroneuria Golden Stoneflies 2
Corbicula Basket Clam 1
Ceratopogonidae Biting Midge 1
Leucotrichia 1
Macrostemum 1
Oulimnius Riffle Beetle 1
Cricotopus Non-Biting Midges 1
Epeorus Mayfly 1
Nigronia Megaloptera (Dark Fishfly) 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.