MBSS Site Summary for: FIMI-203-R-2008

Site Photos

Located on WHITE SULPHUR RUN in the Fifteen Mile Creek watershed, 8-digit code: 02140511.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/17/2008 and again in the summer on 6/19/2008.

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 - 4.3 / 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 2,094 acres A highly channelized urban stream with concrete banks. An example of a highly channelized urban stream.
Urban Land Use 3.4 %
Agricultural Land Use 0.3 %
Forested Land Use 96.3 %


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 10/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 49 meters 		12/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 29 meters 		12/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 65 %
Embeddedness 15 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 14.5 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 6.8 mg/L
pH (lab) 6.74
Conductivity 51 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		101.6 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.3977 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 8 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blacknose Dace 222
Potomac Sculpin 164
Fantail Darter 47
Creek Chub 41
White Sucker 9
Tessellated Darter 5
Central Stoneroller 3
Green Sunfish 3
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Northern Green Frog
Northern Two-Lined Salamander
Northern Watersnake
Wood Frog

Crayfish:
Cambarus bartonii bartonii

Exotic Plants:
Canada Thistle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Prosimulium Black Fly 45
Epeorus Mayfly 5
Micropsectra Non-Biting Midges 5
Isoperla Stripetail Stonefly 5
Sweltsa Stonefly 4
Ephemerellidae Spiny Crawler Mayfly 4
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 3
Rhyacophila Free-Living Caddisfly 3
Neophylax Caddisfly 3
Chloroperlidae Green Stonefly 2
Stegopterna Black Fly 2
Nemouridae Nemourid Stonefly 2
Ablabesmyia Non-Biting Midge 1
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 1
Prostoia Spring Stonefly 1
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 1
Pseudorthocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Thienemanniella Non-Biting Midges 1
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 1
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 1
Taeniopterygidae Winter Stonefly 1
Orthocladiinae Midge 1
Caecidotea Isopod 1
Caenis Mayfly 1
Ameletus Combmouthed Minnow Mayfly 1
Parakiefferiella European Non-Biting Midge 1
Chimarra Fingernet Caddisfly 1
Heptageniidae Flathead Mayfly 1
Physa Air-Breathing Freshwater Snail 1
Enchytraeidae Aquatic Worm 1
Bezzia Biting Midge 1
Ceratopogon Biting Midge 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.