MBSS Site Summary for: EVIT-522-R-2023

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site EVIT-522-R-2023_Midpoint_facing_downstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site EVIT-522-R-2023_Midpoint_facing_upstream (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 4/5/2023 and again in the summer on 8/21/2023.

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 - 5.0 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Good - 4.3 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area No data available A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 6.8 %
Agricultural Land Use 12.7 %
Forested Land Use 78.7 %


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 10/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 23 meters 		8/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 52 meters 		13/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 40 %
Embeddedness 35 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 20.4 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 8.72 mg/L
pH (lab) 8.43
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		1520 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 2.596 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
Mimic Shiner 270
Fantail Darter 166
Rainbow Darter 159
Central Stoneroller 156
Blue Ridge Sculpin 127
Greenside Darter 126
Rosyface Shiner 95
Longnose Dace 56
Northern Hogsucker 42
Potomac Sculpin 31
Margined Madtom 21
Fallfish 14
Bluntnose Minnow 9
Smallmouth Bass 9
White Sucker 7
Blacknose Dace 5
Creek Chub 5
Rock Bass 3
Yellow Bullhead 3
Common Shiner 2
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
No amphibians and reptiles noted.

Crayfish:
Faxonius obscurus
Faxonius virilis

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Barberry
Japanese Stiltgrass
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
AMPHINEMURA Spring Stonefly 24
ORTHOCLADIUS Non-Biting Midges 17
AGAPETUS Tiny Black Short-Horned Caddisfly 15
SIMULIUM Black Fly 10
CRICOTOPUS Non-Biting Midges 7
CHEUMATOPSYCHE Net-Spinning Caddisfly 5
MICROPSECTRA Non-Biting Midges 4
TVETENIA Non-Biting Midges 4
PLAUDITUS Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 4
EPHEMERELLA Sulphur Mayfly 3
PSEPHENUS Water Penny 3
POTTHASTIA Non-Biting Midges 3
RHEOCRICOTOPUS Non-Biting Midges 3
TANYTARSUS Non-Biting Midges 3
NEOPLASTA 3
TRICHOCLINOCERA 3
STENONEMA Flatheaded Mayfly 2
TRIAENODES Long-Horned Caddisfly 2
MICROTENDIPES Non-Biting Midges 2
HYDROPSYCHE Net-Spinning Caddisfly 2
PARAMETRIOCNEMUS Non-Biting Midges 2
STEMPELLINELLA Non-Biting Midges 2
ALLOCAPNIA Small Winter Stonefly 2
ACENTRELLA Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 2
ACERPENNA Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 1
HEMERODROMIA Tiny Fly 1
POLYCENTROPUS Tube Maker Caddisfly 1
POLYPEDILUM Non-Biting Midges 1
NANOCLADIUS Non-Biting Midges 1
THIENEMANNIMYIA GROUP Non-Biting Midges 1
RHEOTANYTARSUS Non-Biting Midges 1
DUBIRAPHIA Riffle Beetle 1
MACRONYCHUS Riffle Beetle 1
OPTIOSERVUS Riffle Beetle 1
ISONYCHIA Slate Drake Mayfly 1
EURYLOPHELLA Mayfly 1
TELOGANOPSIS Mayfly 1
LYPE Net Tube Caddisfly 1
LEPTOXIS Freshwater Snail 1
ACRONEURIA Golden Stoneflies 1
DASYHELEA 1
PENELOMAX 1
PROTOPTILA 1
STACTOBIELLA 1
HYDROPSYCHIDAE Common Netspinner Caddisfly 1
PARAKIEFFERIELLA European Non-Biting Midge 1
HEPTAGENIIDAE Flathead 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.