MBSS Site Summary for: BROA-318-R-2017

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site BROA-318-R-2017-MidpointLookingDownstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site BROA-318-R-2017-MidpointLookingUpstream (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 - 4.3 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Fair - 3.7 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 4,721 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 9.2 %
Agricultural Land Use 63.3 %
Forested Land Use 24.6 %


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 17/20 (Optimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 17/20 (Optimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 45 meters 		14/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 30 meters 		19/20 (Optimal)
Shading 65 %
Embeddedness 30 %
Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Optimal' at this location.


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 7.36
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		360.3 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.3546 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 26 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Common Shiner 137
Central Stoneroller 86
Rosyface Shiner 73
Cutlip Minnow 71
Creek Chub 70
Tessellated Darter 58
Blacknose Dace 55
Longnose Dace 54
River Chub 44
White Sucker 34
Northern Hogsucker 30
Margined Madtom 20
Smallmouth Bass 14
Bluntnose Minnow 12
Spottail Shiner 12
Shield Darter 11
Redbreast Sunfish 10
Rosyside Dace 10
Green Sunfish 8
American Eel 6
Fallfish 5
Brown Trout 4
Spotfin Shiner 4
Largemouth Bass 2
Swallowtail Shiner 2
Bluegill 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Northern Green Frog
Northern Two-Lined Salamander

Crayfish:
Orconectes virilis

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Barberry
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Mile-A-Minute
Multiflora Rose
Norway Maple
Oriental Bittersweet
Paulownia
Vinca Vine
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
ISONYCHIA Slate Drake Mayfly 37
MACCAFFERTIUM March Brown And Cahill Mayfly 17
CHIMARRA Fingernet Caddisfly 8
CHEUMATOPSYCHE Net-Spinning Caddisfly 8
ORTHOCLADIUS Non-Biting Midges 7
HEPTAGENIIDAE Flathead Mayfly 6
ANTOCHA Crane Fly 6
POLYPEDILUM Non-Biting Midges 4
TANYTARSUS Non-Biting Midges 4
PARAMETRIOCNEMUS Non-Biting Midges 3
HYDROPSYCHE Net-Spinning Caddisfly 3
RHEOTANYTARSUS Non-Biting Midges 3
ACENTRELLA Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 2
ORTHOCLADIINAE Midge 2
NAIDIDAE Aquatic Worm 2
DIAMESA Bloodworm 1
NEOZAVRELIA 1
SUBLETTEA 1
STILOCLADIUS Midge 1
GIRARDIA Freshwater Flatworm 1
DIAMESINAE Non-Biting Midges 1
THIENEMANNIMYIA GROUP Non-Biting Midges 1
PERLODIDAE Perlodid Stonefly 1
ELMIDAE Riffle Beetle 1
OPTIOSERVUS Riffle Beetle 1
ISOPERLA Stripetail Stonefly 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.