MBSS Site Summary for: DEER-404-R-2001

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site DEER-404-R-2001-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site DEER-404-R-2001-2 (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 3/14/2001 and again in the summer on 7/18/2001.

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 Fair - 3.3 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Fair - 3.7 / 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 67,586 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 %
Agricultural Land Use 63 %
Forested Land Use 33 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 75 meters 		13/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 15 meters 		16/20 (Optimal)
Shading 70 %
Embeddedness 60 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 60%. This is relatively high, and may exclude some biota.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 23.3 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 9.1 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.38
Conductivity 150 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		387.6 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 2.5 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
Fallfish 99
American Eel 93
Tessellated Darter 34
Northern Hogsucker 29
Margined Madtom 28
Blue Ridge Sculpin 18
Redbreast Sunfish 15
River Chub 14
Cutlip Minnow 13
Smallmouth Bass 12
White Sucker 10
Sea Lamprey 9
Common Shiner 6
Satinfin Shiner 3
Creek Chub 2
Rock Bass 2
Spottail Shiner 2
Longnose Dace 1
Rosyface Shiner 1
Swallowtail Shiner 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Eastern American Toad
Northern Green 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
Cricotopus/Orthocladius Midge 29
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 16
Synorthocladius 6
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 6
Tubificidae Aquatic Worm 3
Neophylax Caddisfly 3
Rheosmittia Non-Biting Midges 3
Sympotthastia Non-Biting Midges 2
Perlodidae Perlodid Stonefly 2
Clinocera Aquatic Dance Fly 2
Hydropsychidae Common Netspinner Caddisfly 2
Corynoneura Non-Biting Midges 2
Nemouridae Nemourid Stonefly 2
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 1
Perlidae Common Stonefly 1
Drunella Blue-Winged Olive Mayfly 1
Stagnicola Air Breathing Freshwater Snail 1
Leptoxis Freshwater Snail 1
Chloroperlidae Green Stonefly 1
Hydroptila Microcaddisfly 1
Polycentropus Tube Maker Caddisfly 1
Taeniopteryx Winter Stonefly 1
Lumbriculidae Worm 1
Pisidiidae Pill Clam 1
Dubiraphia Riffle Beetle 1
Optioservus Riffle Beetle 1
Promoresia Riffle Beetle 1
Thienemanniella Non-Biting Midges 1
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 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.