MBSS Site Summary for: DEER-301-R-2008

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site DEER-301-R-2008-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site DEER-301-R-2008-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on DEER CREEK in the Deer Creek watershed, 8-digit code: 02120202.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/17/2008 and again in the summer on 6/19/2008.

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 - 3.7 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 27,254 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 4.2 %
Agricultural Land Use 65.4 %
Forested Land Use 29.4 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 17/20 (Optimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 16/20 (Optimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 19/20 (Optimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 42 meters 		16/20 (Optimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 75 meters 		19/20 (Optimal)
Shading 80 %
Embeddedness 0 %
Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Optimal' at this location.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 15 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 9.5 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.62
Conductivity 192 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		432.1 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.003 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 20 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Common Shiner 376
River Chub 150
White Sucker 103
Cutlip Minnow 77
Fallfish 51
Blacknose Dace 45
Rosyface Shiner 38
Rosyside Dace 36
American Eel 33
Blue Ridge Sculpin 26
Margined Madtom 26
Redbreast Sunfish 22
Longnose Dace 21
Northern Hogsucker 18
Tessellated Darter 18
Creek Chub 15
Smallmouth Bass 7
Bluegill 4
Brown Trout 3
Pumpkinseed 2
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Wood Frog

Crayfish:
Orconectes limosus

Exotic Plants:
Garlic Mustard
Japanese Barberry
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Mile-A-Minute
Multiflora Rose
Oriental Bittersweet
Privet
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 18
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 18
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 16
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 10
Maccaffertium March Brown And Cahill Mayfly 5
Prostoia Spring Stonefly 4
Ephemerellidae Spiny Crawler Mayfly 3
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 3
Optioservus Riffle Beetle 3
Antocha Crane Fly 3
Heptageniidae Flathead Mayfly 2
Acroneuria Golden Stoneflies 2
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 2
Promoresia Riffle Beetle 2
Epeorus Mayfly 2
Nemouridae Nemourid Stonefly 1
Psephenus Water Penny 1
Micropsectra Non-Biting Midges 1
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 1
Oulimnius Riffle Beetle 1
Brachycentridae Humpless Case Maker Caddisfly 1
Corydalus Dobsonfly 1
Clinocera Aquatic Dance Fly 1
Prosimulium Black Fly 1
Diamesa Bloodworm 1
Perlidae Common 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.