MBSS Site Summary for: DEER-101-A-2011

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site DEER-101-A-2011-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site DEER-101-A-2011-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on DEER CREEK UT in the Deer Creek watershed, 8-digit code: 02120202.
This stream was visited in the spring on 4/18/2011 and again in the summer on 9/27/2011.

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 - 4.0 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Fair - 3.7 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 1,209 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 4.6 %
Agricultural Land Use 69.2 %
Forested Land Use 22.2 %


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 16/20 (Optimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 15 meters 		12/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 65 meters 		14/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 75 %
Embeddedness 15 %


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 7.505
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		453.5 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 2.076 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 19 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blacknose Dace 117
Spotfin Shiner 85
American Eel 69
Blue Ridge Sculpin 66
Fallfish 63
Satinfin Shiner 54
Rosyside Dace 45
Creek Chub 41
Margined Madtom 13
Longnose Dace 9
Bluegill 4
Green Sunfish 3
White Sucker 3
Cutlip Minnow 2
Bluntnose Minnow 1
Lepomis Hybrid 1
Northern Hogsucker 1
Redbreast Sunfish 1
Tessellated Darter 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

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

Crayfish:
Cambarus bartonii bartonii

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Barberry
Japanese Stiltgrass
Mile-A-Minute
Multiflora Rose
Privet
Wineberry
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 23
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 14
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 12
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 10
Simulium Black Fly 7
Thienemannimyia Group Non-Biting Midges 6
Clinocera Aquatic Dance Fly 5
Acentrella Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 3
Polycentropus Tube Maker Caddisfly 3
Agapetus Tiny Black Short-Horned Caddisfly 2
Stenelmis Beetle 2
Isonychia Slate Drake Mayfly 2
Sympotthastia Non-Biting Midges 2
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 2
Ablabesmyia Non-Biting Midge 1
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 1
Potthastia Non-Biting Midges 1
Sublettea 1
EPHEMERELLIDAE Spiny Crawler Mayfly 1
Prosimulium Black Fly 1
Anchytarsus Beetle 1
Diamesa Bloodworm 1
EMPIDIDAE Dance Fly 1
Rhyacophila Free-Living Caddisfly 1
Eurylophella Mayfly 1
Orthocladiinae Midge 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.