MBSS Site Summary for: FIMI-207-S-2011

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site FIMI-207-S-2011-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site FIMI-207-S-2011-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on FIFTEEN MILE CREEK in the Fifteen Mile Creek watershed, 8-digit code: 02140511.
This stream was visited in the spring on 4/6/2011 and again in the summer on 6/2/2011.

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 Fair - 3.5 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
(Hint: Screen readers will announce definitions; mouse users can hover over dotted text.)
Catchment area 13,041 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 88.5 %


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 17/20 (Optimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 43 meters 		15/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 35 meters 		20/20 (Optimal)
Shading 55 %
Embeddedness 5 %


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 7.26
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		137.1 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.3793 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 7 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Potomac Sculpin 14
Bluntnose Minnow 10
Fantail Darter 5
Blacknose Dace 4
Creek Chub 1
Rainbow Darter 1
White Sucker 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Eastern Red Spotted Newt
Northern Water Snake
Pickerel Frog

Crayfish:
Cambarus bartonii bartonii

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Stiltgrass
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 23
Micropsectra Non-Biting Midges 16
Prosimulium Black Fly 14
Isoperla Stripetail Stonefly 14
PHILOPOTAMIDAE Fingernet Caddisfly 7
Cinygmula Dark Red Quill Mayfly 5
EPHEMERELLIDAE Spiny Crawler Mayfly 4
PERLODIDAE Perlodid Stonefly 4
Taenionema 4
LEUCTRIDAE Rolledwinged Stonefly 3
Epeorus Mayfly 2
CHLOROPERLIDAE Green Stonefly 2
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 2
Ostrocerca Stonefly 1
Clioperla Green-Winged Stonefly 1
Dicranota Hairy-Eyed Cranefly 1
Probezzia Biting Midges 1
Neophylax Caddisfly 1
Ameletus Combmouthed Minnow Mayfly 1
Orthocladiinae Midge 1
NEMOURIDAE Nemourid Stonefly 1
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 1
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 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.