MBSS Site Summary for: FIMI-207-S-2017

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site FIMI-207-S-2017-MidpointPDownstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site FIMI-207-S-2017-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 4/13/2017 and again in the summer on 8/18/2017.

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 - 4.3 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Good - 4.8 / 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 4.8 %
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 10/20 (Marginal)
Epifaunal Substrate 10/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 9/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 44 meters 		9/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 37 meters 		12/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 65 %
Embeddedness 0 %


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 7.3
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		233.5 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.5355 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 10 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Bluntnose Minnow 104
Potomac Sculpin 90
Blacknose Dace 59
Creek Chub 45
Greenside Darter 21
Fantail Darter 13
Rock Bass 13
White Sucker 5
Central Stoneroller 4
Smallmouth Bass 3
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Northern Two-Lined Salamander

Crayfish:
Cambarus bartonii bartonii
Orconectes obscurus

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Stiltgrass
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
EPEORUS Mayfly 14
EPHEMERELLA Sulphur Mayfly 11
AMPHINEMURA Spring Stonefly 8
POLYPEDILUM Non-Biting Midges 7
MICROPSECTRA Non-Biting Midges 5
ACENTRELLA Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 5
CINYGMULA Dark Red Quill Mayfly 5
SWELTSA Stonefly 4
LEUCTRIDAE Rolledwinged Stonefly 3
PSEPHENUS Water Penny 3
ACERPENNA Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 3
ORTHOCLADIUS Non-Biting Midges 3
CHIMARRA Fingernet Caddisfly 3
HAPLOPERLA Green Stonefly 3
PROSIMULIUM Black Fly 3
SIMULIUM Black Fly 2
GOMPHIDAE Clubtail Dragonfly 2
TANYTARSUS Non-Biting Midges 2
THIENEMANNIMYIA GROUP Non-Biting Midges 2
ISOPERLA Stripetail Stonefly 2
POLYCENTROPUS Tube Maker Caddisfly 1
LEPTOPHLEBIIDAE Pronggilled Mayfly 1
OPTIOSERVUS Riffle Beetle 1
RHEOCRICOTOPUS Non-Biting Midges 1
AMELETUS Combmouthed Minnow Mayfly 1
HEXATOMA Crane Fly 1
DRUNELLA Blue-Winged Olive Mayfly 1
CAMBARUS 1
HETEROCLOEON 1
NYCTIOPHYLAX 1
PROBEZZIA Biting Midges 1
MACCAFFERTIUM March Brown And Cahill Mayfly 1
DIPHETOR Mayfly 1
SERRATELLA Mayfly 1
CHEUMATOPSYCHE Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
WORMALDIA Fingernet Caddisfly 1
STENONEMA Flatheaded Mayfly 1
RHYACOPHILA Free-Living 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.