MBSS Site Summary for: CE-N-033-301-96


Located on BIG ELK CR in the Big Elk Creek watershed, 8-digit code: 02130606.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/19/1996 and again in the summer on 9/25/1996.

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 - 4.4 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 35,971 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 2.9 %
Agricultural Land Use 64.8 %
Forested Land Use 31.7 %


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 17/20 (Optimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = meters 		17/20 (Optimal)
Riffle Quality 18/20 (Optimal)
Shading 60 %
Embeddedness 20 %
Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Optimal' at this location.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 13.8 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 10.2 mg/L
pH (lab) 8.02
Conductivity 128 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		428.9 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 2.6 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 22 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blue Ridge Sculpin 191
Longnose Dace 164
American Eel 145
Common Shiner 119
River Chub 111
Margined Madtom 108
Blacknose Dace 45
Northern Hogsucker 34
Tessellated Darter 27
White Sucker 18
Cutlip Minnow 14
Spottail Shiner 5
Satinfin Shiner 4
Creek Chub 3
Redbreast Sunfish 3
Rosyside Dace 3
Smallmouth Bass 3
Sea Lamprey 2
Least Brook Lamprey 1
Rainbow Trout 1
Rosyface Shiner 1
Swallowtail Shiner 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Eastern American Toad

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
No exotic plants noted.
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 14
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 14
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 6
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 5
Prostoia Spring Stonefly 4
Lumbriculidae Worm 4
Cricotopus Non-Biting Midges 3
Hirudinea Leech 3
Caenis Mayfly 3
Hydrobaenus Midge 3
Orthocladiinae Midge 2
Neureclipsis 2
Macronychus Riffle Beetle 2
Prosimulium Black Fly 2
Diamesa Bloodworm 1
Perlidae Common Stonefly 1
Antocha Crane Fly 1
Tipula Crane Fly 1
Corydalus Dobsonfly 1
Eurylophella Mayfly 1
Serratella Mayfly 1
Promoresia Riffle Beetle 1
Isonychia Slate Drake Mayfly 1
Ancyronyx Spider Riffle Beetle 1
Stenelmis Beetle 1
Argia Narrow-Winged Damselfly 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.