MBSS Site Summary for: FIMI-207-S-2013

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site FIMI-207-S-2013-MidpointPdownstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site FIMI-207-S-2013-MidpointPupstream (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 3/14/2013 and again in the summer on 6/20/2013.

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 - 4.7 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Good - 4.0 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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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 17/20 (Optimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 63 meters 		15/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 19 meters 		16/20 (Optimal)
Shading 60 %
Embeddedness 15 %


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 7.04
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		147.9694 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.3163 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 14 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Potomac Sculpin 628
Bluntnose Minnow 225
Fantail Darter 106
Creek Chub 59
Blacknose Dace 38
Rock Bass 14
Greenside Darter 10
Central Stoneroller 9
Longnose Dace 4
Rainbow Darter 3
White Sucker 3
Fallfish 1
Green Sunfish 1
Northern Hogsucker 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Eastern Red Spotted Newt
Northern Green Frog
Northern Water Snake

Crayfish:
Cambarus bartonii bartonii

Exotic Plants:
Garlic Mustard
Japanese Stiltgrass
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Prosimulium Black Fly 29
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 20
Epeorus Mayfly 16
Isoperla Stripetail Stonefly 14
Cinygmula Dark Red Quill Mayfly 5
Strophopteryx Early Brown Stonefly 4
Neophylax Caddisfly 4
Ameletus Combmouthed Minnow Mayfly 3
Taenionema 3
NEMOURIDAE Nemourid Stonefly 2
HEPTAGENIIDAE Flathead Mayfly 2
Acerpenna Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 2
EPHEMERELLIDAE Spiny Crawler Mayfly 2
Prostoia Spring Stonefly 1
Lepidostoma Little Brown Sedge Caddisfly 1
Maccaffertium March Brown And Cahill Mayfly 1
Diphetor Mayfly 1
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 1
Stenacron Mayfly 1
Heterocloeon 1
Drunella Blue-Winged Olive Mayfly 1
Parakiefferiella European Non-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.