MBSS Site Summary for: GEOR-107-R-2003

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site GEOR-107-R-2003-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site GEOR-107-R-2003-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on ELK LICK RUN in the Georges Creek watershed, 8-digit code: 02141004.
This stream was visited in the spring on 4/1/2003 and again in the summer on 7/10/2003.

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 - 4.0 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Good - 4.5 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
(Hint: Screen readers will announce definitions; mouse users can hover over dotted text.)
Catchment area 608 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 3 %
Agricultural Land Use 10 %
Forested Land Use 76 %


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 9/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 23 meters 		12/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 62 meters 		17/20 (Optimal)
Shading 97 %
Embeddedness 35 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 15.7 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 8.2 mg/L
pH (lab) 6.95
Conductivity 53 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		97.5 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 0.8 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 58
Blue Ridge Sculpin 1
Fantail Darter 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Northern Green Frog

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Canada Thistle
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 18
Diplectrona Net-Spinning Caddisfly 17
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 12
Leuctra  Rolled-Winged Stonefly 8
Pteronarcys Giant Stonefly 7
Paraleptophlebia Blue Quill Mayfly 6
Leuctridae Rolledwinged Stonefly 6
Leptophlebiidae Pronggilled Mayfly 5
Oulimnius Riffle Beetle 5
Hexatoma Crane Fly 5
Dicranota Hairy-Eyed Cranefly 5
Epeorus Mayfly 4
Hydropsychidae Common Netspinner Caddisfly 3
Enchytraeidae Aquatic Worm 2
Prosimulium Black Fly 2
Heleniella European Non-Biting Midge 2
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 2
Chloroperlidae Green Stonefly 2
Heptageniidae Flathead Mayfly 2
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 2
Sweltsa Stonefly 2
Tanytarsini Non-Biting Midges 1
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 1
Perlodidae Perlodid Stonefly 1
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 1
Chaetocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Lepidostoma Little Brown Sedge Caddisfly 1
Wormaldia Fingernet Caddisfly 1
Tipula 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.