MBSS Site Summary for: HARP-302-N-2004


Located on ELKS RUN in the watershed, 8-digit code: .
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/16/2004 and again in the summer on 6/30/2004.

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 N R
Benthic IBI N R

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 12,074 acres Cows standing in a stream at a site with high agricultural land use. Cows survey the sampling procedure at this extreme example of a highly agriculturalized site.
Urban Land Use 16 %
Agricultural Land Use 68 %
Forested Land Use 16 %


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 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 17/20 (Optimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 38 meters 		16/20 (Optimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 63 meters 		16/20 (Optimal)
Shading 85 %
Embeddedness 40 %
Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Optimal' at this location.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 14.5 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 8.8 mg/L
pH (lab) 8.11
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		4787 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 9 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blacknose Dace 27
Bluntnose Minnow 12
Green Sunfish 12
Rainbow Darter 7
Common Shiner 2
White Sucker 2
Central Stoneroller 1
Fantail Darter 1
Yellow Bullhead 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
No amphibians and reptiles noted.

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Honeysuckle
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 38
Baetis Blue-Winged Olive Mayfly 24
Gammarus Amphipod 19
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 10
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 5
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 3
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 2
Neophylax Caddisfly 2
Antocha Crane Fly 1
Chimarra Fingernet Caddisfly 1
Optioservus Riffle Beetle 1
Nigronia Megaloptera (Dark Fishfly) 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.