MBSS Site Summary for: DEER-303-R-2004

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site DEER-303-R-2004-26 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site DEER-303-R-2004-27 (Opens in a new window)

Located on DEER CR in the Deer Creek watershed, 8-digit code: 02120202.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/23/2004 and again in the summer on 8/9/2004.

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 Good - 4.3 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 39,421 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 3 %
Agricultural Land Use 65 %
Forested Land Use 30 %


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 18/20 (Optimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 25 meters
17/20 (Optimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 75 meters
17/20 (Optimal)
Shading 75 %
Embeddedness 20 %
Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Optimal' at this location.


Stream Water Quality:

Water temperature 17.5 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 9.1 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.27
Conductivity 153 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity)
318.4 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 0.7 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 27 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
American Eel 96
River Chub 79
Common Shiner 48
Redbreast Sunfish 45
Margined Madtom 36
Blue Ridge Sculpin 32
Cutlip Minnow 31
Fallfish 21
Tessellated Darter 21
Bluegill 20
White Sucker 16
Pumpkinseed 15
Rock Bass 8
Satinfin Shiner 8
Northern Hogsucker 5
Brown Bullhead 4
Golden Shiner 4
Creek Chub 3
Green Sunfish 3
Largemouth Bass 2
Longnose Dace 2
Rainbow Trout 2
Brown Trout 1
Rosyface Shiner 1
Rosyside Dace 1
Sea Lamprey 1
Smallmouth Bass 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:

Eastern American Toad
Northern Green Frog
Pickerel Frog

Crayfish:

No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:

Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Mile-A-Minute
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:

Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Prosimulium Black Fly 39
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 28
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 19
Prostoia Spring Stonefly 7
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 5
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 3
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 3
Orthocladiinae Midge 2
Nemouridae Nemourid Stonefly 2
Baetis Blue-Winged Olive Mayfly 1
Ameletus Combmouthed Minnow Mayfly 1
Girardia Freshwater Flatworm 1
Prostoma Freshwater Nemertean (Ribbon Worm) 1
Acroneuria Golden Stoneflies 1
Epeorus Mayfly 1
Goera 1
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 1
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 1
Isonychia Slate Drake Mayfly 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.