MBSS Site Summary for: FIMI-207-S-2002

Site Photos

Located on FIFTEENMILE CR in the Fifteen Mile Creek watershed, 8-digit code: 02140511.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/7/2002 and again in the summer on 6/27/2002.

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 Fair - 3.8 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 13,059 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 4.8 %
Agricultural Land Use 6.8 %
Forested Land Use 88.4 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 5/20 (Poor)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 65 meters 		10/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 25 meters 		11/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 65 %
Embeddedness 15 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 21.8 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 8.6 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.28
Conductivity 80 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		255.5 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.5 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 12 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Central Stoneroller 300
Potomac Sculpin 239
Fantail Darter 92
Blacknose Dace 83
Creek Chub 43
Bluntnose Minnow 28
Greenside Darter 17
Longnose Dace 10
White Sucker 10
Rock Bass 6
Smallmouth Bass 2
Blue Ridge Sculpin 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Northern Two-Lined Salamander

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Stiltgrass
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 21
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 10
Prosimulium Black Fly 8
Gomphidae Clubtail Dragonfly 7
Nemouridae Nemourid Stonefly 7
Oemopteryx Stonefly 5
Isonychia Slate Drake Mayfly 4
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 4
Atherix 4
Neophylax Caddisfly 4
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 3
Psephenus Water Penny 3
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 3
Capniidae Small Winter Stonefly 2
Paraphaenocladius Non-Biting Midges 2
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 2
Diplocladius Non-Biting Midges 2
Perlidae Common Stonefly 2
Chimarra Fingernet Caddisfly 1
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Stylogomphus Clubtail Dragonfly 1
Planariidae Flatworm 1
Eurylophella Mayfly 1
Stenacron Mayfly 1
Nigronia Megaloptera (Dark Fishfly) 1
Optioservus Riffle Beetle 1
Ephemerellidae Spiny Crawler 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.