MBSS Site Summary for: FIMI-207-S-2003

Site Photos

Located on FIFTEENMILE CR in the Fifteen Mile Creek watershed, 8-digit code: 02140511.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/3/2003 and again in the summer on 7/21/2003.

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 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 10/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 8/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 57 meters 		9/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 30 meters 		8/20 (Marginal)
Shading 60 %
Embeddedness 20 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 22.4 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 7.2 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.14
Conductivity 70 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		141 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.2 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 13 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Potomac Sculpin 122
Central Stoneroller 79
Fantail Darter 68
Blacknose Dace 34
Bluntnose Minnow 26
Creek Chub 5
Greenside Darter 5
Fallfish 3
Green Sunfish 3
White Sucker 3
Creek Chubsucker 2
Longnose Dace 2
Redbreast Sunfish 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Northern Green Frog
Northern Watersnake

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Stiltgrass
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 29
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 23
Micropsectra Non-Biting Midges 14
Prosimulium Black Fly 10
Heptageniidae Flathead Mayfly 7
Orthocladiinae Midge 5
Philopotamidae Fingernet Caddisfly 4
Perlodidae Perlodid Stonefly 4
Ostrocerca Stonefly 4
Drunella Blue-Winged Olive Mayfly 3
Ameletus Combmouthed Minnow Mayfly 2
Paraleptophlebia Blue Quill Mayfly 2
Epeorus Mayfly 2
Isoperla Stripetail Stonefly 2
Leptophlebiidae Pronggilled Mayfly 2
Leuctridae Rolledwinged Stonefly 1
Prostoia Spring Stonefly 1
Oemopteryx Stonefly 1
Eurylophella Mayfly 1
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 1
Caenis Mayfly 1
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 1
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 1
Tanytarsini Non-Biting Midges 1
Naididae Aquatic Worm 1
Simuliidae Black Fly 1
Neophylax Caddisfly 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.