MBSS Site Summary for: EVIT-323-R-2016

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site EVIT-323-R-2016-MidpointDownstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site EVIT-323-R-2016-MidpointUpstream (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 3/3/2016 and again in the summer on 7/18/2016.

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 - 4.7 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Fair - 3.8 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 44,111 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 5.7 %
Agricultural Land Use 12.8 %
Forested Land Use 79.7 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 17/20 (Optimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 10/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 47 meters 		10/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 54 meters 		19/20 (Optimal)
Shading 60 %
Embeddedness 5 %


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 8.94
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		1084.6 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 2.8096 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 18 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blue Ridge Sculpin 920
Blacknose Dace 486
Longnose Dace 307
Fantail Darter 214
Central Stoneroller 114
Potomac Sculpin 78
Rainbow Darter 38
Creek Chub 29
Greenside Darter 11
White Sucker 10
Northern Hogsucker 9
Fallfish 4
Rock Bass 4
Bluntnose Minnow 2
Green Sunfish 1
Rosyside Dace 1
Smallmouth Bass 1
Yellow Perch 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Eastern American Toad
Gray Treefrog
Northern Green Frog

Crayfish:
Cambarus bartonii bartonii

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Barberry
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Multiflora Rose
Oriental Bittersweet
Shrub Honeysuckle
Tree Of Heaven
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 23
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 22
Isonychia Slate Drake Mayfly 15
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 9
Maccaffertium March Brown And Cahill Mayfly 7
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 6
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 4
Antocha Crane Fly 3
Chimarra Fingernet Caddisfly 2
Baetis Blue-Winged Olive Mayfly 2
Rheotanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 2
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 2
Micropsectra Non-Biting Midges 2
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 2
Isotomidae Springtail 1
Prosimulium Black Fly 1
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 1
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 1
Optioservus Riffle Beetle 1
Neophylax Caddisfly 1
Acroneuria Golden Stoneflies 1
Dicrotendipes Non-Biting Midges 1
Eurylophella 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.