MBSS Site Summary for: FIMI-220-R-2023

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site FIMI-220-R-2023_Midpoint_facing_downstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site FIMI-220-R-2023_Midpoint_facing_upstream (Opens in a new window)

Located on DEEP RUN in the Fifteen Mile Creek watershed, 8-digit code: 02140511.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/21/2023 and again in the summer on 8/15/2023.

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 - 3.3 / 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 No data available A highly channelized urban stream with concrete banks. An example of a highly channelized urban stream.
Urban Land Use 4.9 %
Agricultural Land Use 1.6 %
Forested Land Use 93.5 %


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 9/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 6/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 64 meters 		11/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 4 meters 		2/20 (Poor)
Shading 60 %
Embeddedness 45 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 19.8 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 2.58 mg/L
Dissolved oxygen levels measured in the stream were very low (2.58 mg/L). Many fishes and other aquatic animals cannot tolerate low levels of oxygen in the water.
pH (lab) 6.82
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		115.1 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.519 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 3 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blacknose Dace 237
Creek Chub 46
Potomac Sculpin 30
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Eastern Garter Snake
Northern Dusky Salamander
Northern Two-Lined Salamander

Crayfish:
Cambarus bartonii

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Barberry
Japanese Stiltgrass
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
EPHEMERELLA Sulphur Mayfly 65
ISOPERLA Stripetail Stonefly 7
HETEROCLOEON 6
AMPHINEMURA Spring Stonefly 5
EPEORUS Mayfly 5
MICROPSECTRA Non-Biting Midges 5
CINYGMULA Dark Red Quill Mayfly 3
RHYACOPHILA Free-Living Caddisfly 2
HELICHUS Beetle 2
AMELETUS Combmouthed Minnow Mayfly 2
PROSTOIA Spring Stonefly 1
TANYTARSUS Non-Biting Midges 1
NEMOURIDAE Nemourid Stonefly 1
DIPLECTRONA Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
PROSIMULIUM Black Fly 1
NEOPHYLAX Caddisfly 1
HAPLOPERLA Green Stonefly 1
LEUCTRA  Rolled-Winged Stonefly 1
GAMMARUS Amphipod 1
CERATOPOGON/CULICOIDES/STILOBEZZIA 1
DIPLOPERLA 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.