MBSS Site Summary for: CE-P-003-312-97


Located on STONE RUN in the Octoraro Creek watershed, 8-digit code: 02120203.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/5/1997 and again in the summer on 6/23/1997.

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 Fair - 3.3 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Good - 4.0 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 2,868 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 %
Agricultural Land Use 67.1 %
Forested Land Use 30 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = meters 		18/20 (Optimal)
Riffle Quality 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 90 %
Embeddedness 45 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 25.7 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 6.5 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.36
Conductivity 210 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		913.4 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 5.4 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 24 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Tessellated Darter 121
Blacknose Dace 109
Redbreast Sunfish 62
White Sucker 61
Creek Chub 52
American Eel 43
Pumpkinseed 35
Cutlip Minnow 29
Longnose Dace 26
Margined Madtom 24
Green Sunfish 22
Rosyside Dace 16
Brown Bullhead 15
Bluegill 13
Satinfin Shiner 12
Common Carp 10
Northern Hogsucker 7
Smallmouth Bass 5
Swallowtail Shiner 4
Common Shiner 3
Banded Killifish 2
Fallfish 1
Golden Shiner 1
Largemouth Bass 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Eastern Snapping Turtle
Fowler's Toad
Northern Green Frog
Northern Watersnake

Crayfish:
Orconectes limosus

Exotic Plants:
No exotic plants noted.
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Cricotopus/Orthocladius Midge 19
Chimarra Fingernet Caddisfly 7
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 6
Prosimulium Black Fly 5
Prostoia Spring Stonefly 5
Hemerodromia Tiny Fly 5
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 4
Micropsectra Non-Biting Midges 4
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 4
Gammarus Amphipod 4
Stenelmis Beetle 4
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 4
Epeorus Mayfly 4
Eurylophella Mayfly 3
Diamesa Bloodworm 3
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 3
Paratanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 2
Crangonyx Amphipod 2
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 2
Conchapelopia Non-Biting Midges 2
Heptagenia 1
Paraleptophlebia Blue Quill Mayfly 1
Antocha Crane Fly 1
Thienemannimyia Non-Biting Midges 1
Macronychus Riffle Beetle 1
Optioservus Riffle Beetle 1
Oulimnius Riffle Beetle 1
Isonychia Slate Drake Mayfly 1
Ectopria Water Penny Beetle 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.