MBSS Site Summary for: DEER-403-R-2008

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site DEER-403-R-2008-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site DEER-403-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 - 4.0 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Good - 4.0 / 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 66,101 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 2.5 %
Agricultural Land Use 63.8 %
Forested Land Use 32.9 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat

Instream Habitat 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 16/20 (Optimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 16/20 (Optimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 60 meters
12/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 75 meters
16/20 (Optimal)
Shading 70 %
Embeddedness 20 %
Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Optimal' at this location.


Stream Water Quality:

Water temperature 18.8 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 9.8 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.65
Conductivity 167 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity)
374.4 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.0201 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 21 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
American Eel 103
Common Shiner 98
River Chub 90
Cutlip Minnow 67
Margined Madtom 67
Fallfish 56
Tessellated Darter 47
Spottail Shiner 46
Rosyface Shiner 41
Sea Lamprey 41
White Sucker 36
Northern Hogsucker 20
Rosyside Dace 16
Creek Chub 13
Blue Ridge Sculpin 10
Satinfin Shiner 10
Longnose Dace 8
Swallowtail Shiner 7
Redbreast Sunfish 5
Blacknose Dace 2
Rock Bass 2
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:

Northern Dusky Salamander
Northern Green Frog
Northern Two-Lined Salamander
Pickerel Frog

Crayfish:

Orconectes limosus

Exotic Plants:

Garlic Mustard
Japanese Stiltgrass
Mile-A-Minute
Multiflora Rose
Oriental Bittersweet
Privet
Wineberry
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:

Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Crangonyx Amphipod 18
Polycentropus Tube Maker Caddisfly 15
Maccaffertium March Brown And Cahill Mayfly 6
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 6
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 6
Leptoxis Freshwater Snail 4
Thienemannimyia Group Non-Biting Midges 3
Trissopelopia Non-Biting Midges 3
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 3
Dubiraphia Riffle Beetle 2
Macronychus Riffle Beetle 2
Optioservus Riffle Beetle 2
Zavrelimyia Non-Biting Midges 2
Hydrobaenus Midge 2
Helichus Beetle 2
Stenelmis Beetle 2
Eurylophella Mayfly 2
Antocha Crane Fly 2
Calopteryx Damselfly 1
Empididae Dance Fly 1
Prostoma Freshwater Nemertean (Ribbon Worm) 1
Corbicula Basket Clam 1
Helisoma 1
Neoperla 1
Neoporus 1
Serratella Mayfly 1
Nigronia Megaloptera (Dark Fishfly) 1
Neophylax Caddisfly 1
Acroneuria Golden Stoneflies 1
Orthocladiinae Midge 1
Coenagrionidae Narrowwinged Damselfly 1
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Paramerina Non-Biting Midge 1
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 1
Nanocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Pisidiidae Pill Clam 1
Paraphaenocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Sympotthastia Non-Biting Midges 1
Tanytarsini Non-Biting Midges 1
Crangonyctidae Scud 1
Boyeria Spotted Darner Dragonfly 1
Dineutus Whirlygig Beetle 1
Limnodrilus Worm 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.