MBSS Site Summary for: CE-P-056-307-97


Located on STONE 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 6/10/1997.

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 Fair - 3.0 / 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 6,012 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 67.3 %
Forested Land Use 29.2 %


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 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 18/20 (Optimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = meters 		19/20 (Optimal)
Riffle Quality 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 75 %
Embeddedness 40 %
Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Optimal' at this location.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 15.1 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 10.1 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.6
Conductivity 226 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		890 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.1 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 23 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blacknose Dace 254
American Eel 139
Cutlip Minnow 105
Tessellated Darter 97
Common Shiner 81
Rosyside Dace 79
Longnose Dace 78
White Sucker 61
Creek Chub 37
Fallfish 24
Northern Hogsucker 17
Margined Madtom 12
Swallowtail Shiner 10
Brown Trout 6
Pumpkinseed 5
Redbreast Sunfish 5
Smallmouth Bass 4
Green Sunfish 3
Rock Bass 3
River Chub 2
Brown Bullhead 1
Satinfin Shiner 1
Spottail Shiner 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

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

Crayfish:
Cambarus bartonii bartonii
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 26
Gammarus Amphipod 11
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 10
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 10
Cladocera Water Flea 10
Clinocera Aquatic Dance Fly 6
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 6
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 4
Prosimulium Black Fly 3
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 3
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 2
Diamesa Bloodworm 2
Eurylophella Mayfly 1
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Sweltsa Stonefly 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.