MBSS Site Summary for: FURN-101-S-2012

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site FURN-101-S-2012-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site FURN-101-S-2012-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on PRINCIPIO CREEK UT in the Furnace Bay watershed, 8-digit code: 02130609.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/6/2012 and again in the summer on 6/25/2012.

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 730 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 0.8 %
Agricultural Land Use 17 %
Forested Land Use 79.8 %


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 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 36 meters 		11/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 39 meters 		14/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 80 %
Embeddedness 25 %


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 6.9
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		158.6 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.8558 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
Rosyside Dace 151
Blacknose Dace 85
Blue Ridge Sculpin 40
Creek Chub 37
American Eel 17
Margined Madtom 10
Tessellated Darter 5
Cutlip Minnow 4
White Sucker 3
Common Shiner 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Eastern Red-Backed Salamander
Gray Treefrog
Northern Dusky Salamander
Northern Green Frog
Northern Two-Lined Salamander
Pickerel Frog

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 73
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 21
LEUCTRIDAE Rolledwinged Stonefly 11
Prostoia Spring Stonefly 5
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 4
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 2
Leuctra  Rolled-Winged Stonefly 2
Oulimnius Riffle Beetle 2
CHLOROPERLIDAE Green Stonefly 2
Dicranota Hairy-Eyed Cranefly 2
GORDIIDAE Horsehair Worm 1
Epeorus Mayfly 1
DIAMESINAE Non-Biting Midges 1
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 1
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Sympotthastia Non-Biting Midges 1
Thienemanniella Non-Biting Midges 1
Thienemannimyia Group Non-Biting Midges 1
PERLODIDAE Perlodid Stonefly 1
Simulium Black Fly 1
GOMPHIDAE Clubtail Dragonfly 1
Hexatoma Crane Fly 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.