MBSS Site Summary for: CE-P-023-201-97


Located on BASIN RUN in the Octoraro Creek watershed, 8-digit code: 02120203.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/4/1997 and again in the summer on 6/2/1997.

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 Good - 4.3 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Good - 4.7 / 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 2,528 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 1.2 %
Agricultural Land Use 70.7 %
Forested Land Use 27.5 %


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 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 17/20 (Optimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = meters 		16/20 (Optimal)
Riffle Quality 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 50 %
Embeddedness 50 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 15.3 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 9.6 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.04
Conductivity 179 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		540.1 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 4.5 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 14 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Rosyside Dace 154
Blacknose Dace 111
White Sucker 57
Tessellated Darter 52
Creek Chub 49
Cutlip Minnow 49
Common Shiner 38
Longnose Dace 13
American Eel 12
Swallowtail Shiner 8
Bluegill 7
Pumpkinseed 6
Sea Lamprey 5
Margined Madtom 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Northern Two-Lined Salamander

Crayfish:
Cambarus bartonii bartonii

Exotic Plants:
No exotic plants noted.
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 77
Cricotopus/Orthocladius Midge 20
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 10
Hemerodromia Tiny Fly 7
Optioservus Riffle Beetle 6
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 5
Diamesa Bloodworm 5
Prosimulium Black Fly 4
Prostoia Spring Stonefly 4
Sublettea 3
Antocha Crane Fly 3
Chimarra Fingernet Caddisfly 2
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 2
Oulimnius Riffle Beetle 2
Psephenus Water Penny 2
Baetidae Small Minnow Mayfly 1
Dromogomphus Spinylegs Dragonfly 1
Dubiraphia Riffle Beetle 1
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 1
Acroneuria Golden Stoneflies 1
Chloroperlidae Green Stonefly 1
Glossosoma Little Black Caddisfly 1
Anchytarsus Beetle 1
Stenelmis Beetle 1
Neophylax Caddisfly 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.