MBSS Site Summary for: FIMI-207-S-2014

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site FIMI-207-S-2014-MidpointDownstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site FIMI-207-S-2014-MidpointUpstream (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 3/26/2014 and again in the summer on 7/22/2014.

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 Fair - 3.8 / 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 4.9 %
Agricultural Land Use 6.4 %
Forested Land Use 87.6 %


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 8/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 9/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 62 meters 		9/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 16 meters 		8/20 (Marginal)
Shading 40 %
Embeddedness 0 %


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 7.2
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		169.6 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.1755 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 179
Blacknose Dace 137
Bluntnose Minnow 72
Creek Chub 64
Fantail Darter 61
Central Stoneroller 27
Rock Bass 15
Greenside Darter 5
Longnose Dace 4
Rainbow Darter 3
Green Sunfish 2
Smallmouth Bass 1
White Sucker 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Northern Green Frog
Northern Ringneck Snake
Northern Water Snake

Crayfish:
Cambarus bartonii bartonii

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Stiltgrass
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Prosimulium Black Fly 66
Chimarra Fingernet Caddisfly 6
Epeorus Mayfly 6
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 5
Isoperla Stripetail Stonefly 5
Micropsectra Non-Biting Midges 4
Lepidostoma Little Brown Sedge Caddisfly 3
Maccaffertium March Brown And Cahill Mayfly 3
Acerpenna Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 3
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 2
Sweltsa Stonefly 1
Psephenus Water Penny 1
Chloroperlidae Green Stonefly 1
Neophylax Caddisfly 1
Gomphidae Clubtail Dragonfly 1
Tipula Crane Fly 1
Strophopteryx Early Brown Stonefly 1
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 1
Thienemannimyia Group Non-Biting Midges 1
Isonychia Slate Drake Mayfly 1
Leucrocuta Mayfly 1
Stenacron Mayfly 1
Nemouridae Nemourid Stonefly 1
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning 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.