MBSS Site Summary for: CE-P-009-305-96


Located on BIG ELK CR in the Big Elk Creek watershed, 8-digit code: 02130606.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/21/1996 and again in the summer on 9/12/1996.

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 - 4.0 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Good - 4.3 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 30,650 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 2.1 %
Agricultural Land Use 67.8 %
Forested Land Use 29.7 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 16/20 (Optimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 16/20 (Optimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = meters 		15/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality 16/20 (Optimal)
Shading 50 %
Embeddedness 35 %
Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Optimal' at this location.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 20.2 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 9.5 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.06
Conductivity 165 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		396.5 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 4.7 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 20 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Common Shiner 146
Tessellated Darter 127
River Chub 108
Margined Madtom 62
Swallowtail Shiner 62
Rosyface Shiner 61
Cutlip Minnow 54
American Eel 53
Creek Chub 47
White Sucker 39
Blue Ridge Sculpin 38
Longnose Dace 33
Northern Hogsucker 29
Satinfin Shiner 27
Spottail Shiner 22
Blacknose Dace 18
Rosyside Dace 12
Redbreast Sunfish 10
Sea Lamprey 10
Smallmouth Bass 2
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Eastern American Toad

Crayfish:
Orconectes limosus

Exotic Plants:
No exotic plants noted.
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Prosimulium Black Fly 27
Prostoia Spring Stonefly 12
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 11
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 9
Sympotthastia Non-Biting Midges 4
Isonychia Slate Drake Mayfly 4
Stegopterna Black Fly 4
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 3
Eurylophella Mayfly 3
Ameletus Combmouthed Minnow Mayfly 3
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 3
Promoresia Riffle Beetle 2
Serratella Mayfly 2
Diamesa Bloodworm 1
Strophopteryx Early Brown Stonefly 1
Heterotrissocladius European Non-Biting Midge 1
Chimarra Fingernet Caddisfly 1
Neureclipsis 1
Orthocladiinae A Non-Biting Midges 1
Rheotanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 1
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 1
Polycentropus Tube Maker Caddisfly 1
Psephenus Water Penny 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.