MBSS Site Summary for: CR-P-318-338-96


Located on BEAR BR in the Double Pipe Creek watershed, 8-digit code: 02140304.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/12/1996 and again in the summer on 8/15/1996.

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 Fair - 3.0 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 8,974 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 0.5 %
Agricultural Land Use 79.2 %
Forested Land Use 19 %


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 19/20 (Optimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 18/20 (Optimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = meters 		15/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality 18/20 (Optimal)
Shading 90 %
Embeddedness 10 %
Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Optimal' at this location.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 18.4 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 7.9 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.44
Conductivity 212 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		673.8 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.8 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
Blue Ridge Sculpin 366
Potomac Sculpin 172
Longnose Dace 137
Blacknose Dace 136
Fantail Darter 42
Creek Chub 35
Bluntnose Minnow 19
White Sucker 12
Northern Hogsucker 11
Greenside Darter 6
Rosyside Dace 5
Bluegill 2
Spottail Shiner 2
Largemouth Bass 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Eastern American Toad
Pickerel Frog

Crayfish:
Orconectes virilis

Exotic Plants:
No exotic plants noted.
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Cricotopus/Orthocladius Midge 22
Prostoia Spring Stonefly 20
Zavrelimyia Non-Biting Midges 10
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 7
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 5
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 4
Paracapnia Small Winter Stonefly 4
Isonychia Slate Drake Mayfly 3
Antocha Crane Fly 3
Clinocera Aquatic Dance Fly 2
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 2
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 2
Optioservus Riffle Beetle 2
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 1
Prosimulium Black Fly 1
Hexatoma Crane Fly 1
Corydalus Dobsonfly 1
Ephemera Mayfly 1
Serratella Mayfly 1
Stenacron Mayfly 1
Baetidae Small Minnow Mayfly 1
Stygobromus Amphipod 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.