MBSS Site Summary for: DO-S-035-111-95


Located on GALES CREEK in the Nanticoke River watershed, 8-digit code: 02130305.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/2/1995 and again in the summer on 7/4/1995.

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 - 3.9 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 2,709 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 1.6 %
Agricultural Land Use 57.8 %
Forested Land Use 39.7 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 7/20 (Marginal)
Epifaunal Substrate 4/20 (Poor)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 7/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = meters 		6/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality 6/20 (Marginal)
Shading 70 %
Embeddedness 100 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 100%. This is very high, and may adversely affect biotic communities.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 22.3 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 5.7 mg/L
pH (lab) 6.61
Conductivity 54 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		189.6 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 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 7 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Bluegill 42
American Eel 25
Tessellated Darter 11
Least Brook Lamprey 10
Eastern Mudminnow 8
Pumpkinseed 2
Tadpole Madtom 2
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Pickerel Frog

Crayfish:
Cambaridae

Exotic Plants:
No exotic plants noted.
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Gammarus Amphipod 21
Rheotanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 14
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 9
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 8
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 8
Nanocladius Non-Biting Midges 7
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 6
Thienemannimyia Non-Biting Midges 6
Tribelos Non-Biting Midges 6
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 5
Simulium Black Fly 5
Sphaerium Fingernail Clam 5
Apsectrotanypus Non-Biting Midges 3
Corynoneura Non-Biting Midges 3
Brillia Non-Biting Midges 2
Prosimulium Black Fly 2
Zavrelimyia Non-Biting Midges 2
Dubiraphia Riffle Beetle 2
Limnephilidae Northern Casemaker Caddisfly 1
Ptilostomis Giant Casemaker Caddisfly 1
Pycnopsyche Great Autumn Brown Sedge Caddisfly 1
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Paracladopelma Non-Biting Midge 1
Glyptotendipes 1
Rheocricotopus 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.