MBSS Site Summary for: LIBE-101-A-2011

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site LIBE-101-A-2011-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site LIBE-101-A-2011-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on KEYSERS RUN in the Liberty Reservoir watershed, 8-digit code: 02130907.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/7/2011 and again in the summer on 6/21/2011.

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 Fair - 3.7 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Fair - 3.3 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 479 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 30.1 %
Agricultural Land Use 40.8 %
Forested Land Use 26.7 %


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 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 9/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 30 meters 		7/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 46 meters 		12/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 45 %
Embeddedness 25 %


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 7.32
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		760.1 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 3.3219 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 91
Blue Ridge Sculpin 87
Creek Chub 19
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog

Crayfish:
Orconectes virilis

Exotic Plants:
Garlic Mustard
Japanese Barberry
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Mile-A-Minute
Multiflora Rose
Oriental Bittersweet
Wineberry
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Prosimulium Black Fly 13
CHLOROPERLIDAE Green Stonefly 13
Neophylax Caddisfly 11
Sympotthastia Non-Biting Midges 8
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 7
Heleniella European Non-Biting Midge 6
Micropsectra Non-Biting Midges 6
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 5
Probezzia Biting Midges 5
EPHEMERELLIDAE Spiny Crawler Mayfly 5
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 4
Antocha Crane Fly 4
Oulimnius Riffle Beetle 3
Optioservus Riffle Beetle 2
Tanypodinae Non-Biting Midges 2
TANYTARSINI Non-Biting Midges 2
Rhyacophila Free-Living Caddisfly 2
Clinocera Aquatic Dance Fly 2
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 2
Maccaffertium March Brown And Cahill Mayfly 2
Eurylophella Mayfly 2
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 1
GOMPHIDAE Clubtail Dragonfly 1
Tipula Crane Fly 1
Trissopelopia 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.