MBSS Site Summary for: DCRL-102-R-2009

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site DCRL-102-R-2009-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site DCRL-102-R-2009-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on Cherry Creek in the Deep Creek Lake watershed, 8-digit code: 05020203.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/19/2009 and again in the summer on 6/23/2009.

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 Poor - 2.0 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Poor - 2.3 / 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 838 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 2.5 %
Agricultural Land Use 18.6 %
Forested Land Use 73.7 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 7/20 (Marginal)
Epifaunal Substrate 2/20 (Poor)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 8/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 75 meters 		12/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 0 meters 		0/20 (Poor)
Shading 10 %
Embeddedness 100 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 100%. This is very high, and may adversely affect biotic communities.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 19.2 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 3.4 mg/L
Dissolved oxygen levels measured in the stream were very low (3.4 mg/L). Many fishes and other aquatic animals cannot tolerate low levels of oxygen in the water.
pH (lab) 5.42
Conductivity 80 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		20.1 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 2.3354 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 2 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Golden Shiner 35
Pumpkinseed 6
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Northern Green Frog
Red-Spotted Newt

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Leuctra  Rolled-Winged Stonefly 36
Musculium Fingernail Clam 27
Hyalella Amphipod 21
Zavrelimyia Non-Biting Midges 11
Leptophlebiidae Pronggilled Mayfly 6
Micropsectra Non-Biting Midges 4
Philopotamidae Fingernet Caddisfly 3
Procladius Non-Biting Midge 3
Limnodrilus Worm 2
Lumbriculidae Worm 1
Rheocricotopus Non-Biting Midges 1
Apsectrotanypus Non-Biting Midges 1
Tubificidae Aquatic Worm 1
Neoporus 1
Platycentropus 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.