MBSS Site Summary for: EVIT-304-B-2007

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site EVIT-304-B-2007-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site EVIT-304-B-2007-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on Evitts Creek in the Evitts Creek watershed, 8-digit code: 02141002.
This stream was visited in the spring on 4/2/2007 and again in the summer on 6/29/2007.

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 - 3.7 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Poor - 2.8 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 58,822 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 7.8 %
Agricultural Land Use 14.1 %
Forested Land Use 76.5 %


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 17/20 (Optimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 67 meters 		18/20 (Optimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 35 meters 		16/20 (Optimal)
Shading 70 %
Embeddedness 25 %
Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Optimal' at this location.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 21.9 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 6.6 mg/L
pH (lab) 8.68
Conductivity 275 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		1129.5 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 2.7193 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 22 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Fallfish 37
Blue Ridge Sculpin 31
Bluntnose Minnow 23
Common Shiner 20
Longnose Dace 19
Rosyface Shiner 17
Creek Chub 13
Rainbow Darter 8
Greenside Darter 7
Central Stoneroller 6
Fantail Darter 5
Potomac Sculpin 4
White Sucker 3
American Eel 2
Redbreast Sunfish 2
Smallmouth Bass 2
Pumpkinseed 1
River Chub 1
Rock Bass 1
Rosyside Dace 1
Spottail Shiner 1
Yellow Bullhead 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Eastern Gartersnake

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Garlic Mustard
Japanese Barberry
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 35
Parakiefferiella European Non-Biting Midge 19
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 9
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 8
Centroptilum Small Minnow Mayfly 6
Isonychia Slate Drake Mayfly 5
Orthocladiinae Midge 5
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 3
Stempellinella Non-Biting Midges 2
Clinocera Aquatic Dance Fly 2
Prostoma Freshwater Nemertean (Ribbon Worm) 2
Caenis Mayfly 2
Ephemerellidae Spiny Crawler Mayfly 2
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 1
Diamesa Bloodworm 1
Peltodytes Crawling Water Beetle 1
Argia Narrow-Winged Damselfly 1
Tanytarsini Non-Biting Midges 1
Optioservus Riffle Beetle 1
Ablabesmyia Non-Biting Midge 1
Dicrotendipes Non-Biting Midges 1
Phaenopsectra Non-Biting Midges 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.