MBSS Site Summary for: KE-N-046-226-95


Located on SEWELL BR in the Upper Chester River watershed, 8-digit code: 02130510.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/31/1995 and again in the summer on 8/4/1995.

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 - 3.9 / 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 10,095 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 0.9 %
Agricultural Land Use 55.2 %
Forested Land Use 36.7 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 7/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 9/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = meters 		11/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 70 %
Embeddedness 40 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 24.8 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 4.5 mg/L
Dissolved oxygen levels measured in the stream were very low (4.5 mg/L). Many fishes and other aquatic animals cannot tolerate low levels of oxygen in the water.
pH (lab) 6.84
Conductivity 170 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		348.2 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 6 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
Tessellated Darter 90
Eastern Mudminnow 50
Fallfish 29
Tadpole Madtom 27
Swallowtail Shiner 25
Redbreast Sunfish 14
Redfin Pickerel 11
Pirate Perch 10
American Eel 8
Golden Shiner 6
Least Brook Lamprey 6
Pumpkinseed 6
Margined Madtom 4
Bluegill 2
Creek Chubsucker 2
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Northern Green Frog
Northern Watersnake
Pickerel Frog

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
No exotic plants noted.
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Simulium Black Fly 33
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 18
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 8
Prosimulium Black Fly 8
Hexatoma Crane Fly 4
Cricotopus Non-Biting Midges 3
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 3
Thienemannimyia Non-Biting Midges 2
Isoperla Stripetail Stonefly 2
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 2
Calopteryx Damselfly 2
Gammarus Amphipod 2
Goniobasis 1
Palaemonetes 1
Eurylophella Mayfly 1
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 1
Paratanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 1
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 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.