MBSS Site Summary for: HA-N-052-202-96


Located on GASHEYS RUN in the Swan Creek watershed, 8-digit code: 02130706.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/28/1996 and again in the summer on 5/30/1996.

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 Fair - 3.6 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 2,628 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 5.6 %
Agricultural Land Use 40.6 %
Forested Land Use 53.2 %


Stream showing woody debris, logs, and rocky substrate.
An example of woody debris in a stream.

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 18/20 (Optimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 18/20 (Optimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 17/20 (Optimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = meters 		16/20 (Optimal)
Riffle Quality 16/20 (Optimal)
Shading 70 %
Embeddedness 30 %
Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Optimal' at this location.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 11.4 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 11 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.37
Conductivity 130 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		429 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 2.1 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 15 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Rosyside Dace 127
Blacknose Dace 108
Common Shiner 83
Eastern Silvery Minnow 68
American Eel 67
Swallowtail Shiner 58
Cutlip Minnow 52
Tessellated Darter 31
Creek Chub 25
Redbreast Sunfish 12
White Sucker 8
Margined Madtom 5
Pumpkinseed 4
Satinfin Shiner 3
Least Brook Lamprey 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Eastern Snapping Turtle
Northern Dusky Salamander
Pickerel Frog

Crayfish:
Procambarus acutus acutus

Exotic Plants:
No exotic plants noted.
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Cricotopus/Orthocladius Midge 36
Orthocladiinae A Non-Biting Midges 20
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 14
Prosimulium Black Fly 8
Allocapnia Small Winter Stonefly 6
Prostoia Spring Stonefly 4
Sympotthastia Non-Biting Midges 4
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 3
Strophopteryx Early Brown Stonefly 2
Acroneuria Golden Stoneflies 1
Eurylophella Mayfly 1
Neophylax Caddisfly 1
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Diplectrona Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Polycentropus Tube Maker Caddisfly 1
Limnodrilus Worm 1
Clinocera Aquatic Dance 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.