MBSS Site Summary for: FIMI-122-A-2010

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site FIMI-122-A-2010-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site FIMI-122-A-2010-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on UT Fifteenmile Creek in the Fifteen Mile Creek watershed, 8-digit code: 02140511.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/25/2010 and again in the summer on 6/24/2010.

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 Good - 4.3 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 1,932 acres A highly channelized urban stream with concrete banks. An example of a highly channelized urban stream.
Urban Land Use 10.1 %
Agricultural Land Use 6.6 %
Forested Land Use 83.3 %


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 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 55 meters 		16/20 (Optimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 26 meters 		10/20 (Marginal)
Shading 85 %
Embeddedness 15 %
Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Optimal' at this location.


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 7.39
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		201.9 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.8729 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 4 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blacknose Dace 102
Potomac Sculpin 34
Creek Chub 24
Fantail Darter 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Northern Two-Lined Salamander
Wood Frog

Crayfish:
Cambarus bartonii bartonii

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Stiltgrass
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Cinygmula Dark Red Quill Mayfly 20
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 20
Leuctridae Rolledwinged Stonefly 15
Heptageniidae Flathead Mayfly 13
Prosimulium Black Fly 6
Nemouridae Nemourid Stonefly 4
Taenionema 3
Ephemerellidae Spiny Crawler Mayfly 3
Ostrocerca Stonefly 3
Isoperla Stripetail Stonefly 3
Pseudolimnophila Crane Fly 2
Neophylax Caddisfly 2
Ameletus Combmouthed Minnow Mayfly 2
Perlidae Common Stonefly 2
Hexatoma Crane Fly 1
Enchytraeidae Aquatic Worm 1
Stegopterna Black Fly 1
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 1
Perlodidae Perlodid Stonefly 1
Habrophlebia Prong-Gilled Mayfly 1
Elmidae Riffle Beetle 1
Chloroperlidae Green Stonefly 1
Lepidostoma Little Brown Sedge Caddisfly 1
Stenacron Mayfly 1
Nigronia Megaloptera (Dark Fishfly) 1
Polycentropus Tube Maker Caddisfly 1
Psephenus Water Penny 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.