MBSS Site Summary for: CR-P-323-326-96


Located on BIG PIPE CR 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 8/8/1996.

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 Poor - 2.8 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 34,151 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 0.7 %
Agricultural Land Use 73.1 %
Forested Land Use 25.4 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 17/20 (Optimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = meters 		18/20 (Optimal)
Riffle Quality 17/20 (Optimal)
Shading 60 %
Embeddedness 34 %
Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Optimal' at this location.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 22.2 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 10.7 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.69
Conductivity 188 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		563.9 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.4 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 18 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blue Ridge Sculpin 215
Potomac Sculpin 97
Spottail Shiner 80
Longnose Dace 43
Blacknose Dace 42
Creek Chub 26
Greenside Darter 25
Fantail Darter 24
Bluntnose Minnow 23
Northern Hogsucker 18
White Sucker 17
Central Stoneroller 6
Rosyface Shiner 4
Silverjaw Minnow 4
Largemouth Bass 2
Tessellated Darter 2
Bluegill 1
Eastern Silvery Minnow 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
No amphibians and reptiles noted.

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
No exotic plants noted.
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Prostoia Spring Stonefly 11
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 8
Stictochironomus Non-Biting Midge 8
Zavrelimyia Non-Biting Midges 6
Isonychia Slate Drake Mayfly 5
Stenacron Mayfly 5
Strophopteryx Early Brown Stonefly 4
Ephemera Mayfly 3
Allocapnia Small Winter Stonefly 3
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 2
Hydrobaenus Midge 1
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Optioservus Riffle Beetle 1
Leptoxis Freshwater Snail 1
Clinocera Aquatic Dance Fly 1
Corbicula Basket Clam 1
Prosimulium Black Fly 1
Chrysops Deerfly 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.