MBSS Site Summary for: LIBE-101-A-2012

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site LIBE-101-A-2012-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site LIBE-101-A-2012-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on KEYSER'S RUN in the Liberty Reservoir watershed, 8-digit code: 02130907.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/8/2012 and again in the summer on 6/14/2012.

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 - 4.7 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Fair - 3.3 / 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 397 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 27.8 %
Agricultural Land Use 40.1 %
Forested Land Use 29.1 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 46 meters 		12/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 44 meters 		14/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 50 %
Embeddedness 45 %


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 7.36
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		605.5 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 0.6739 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 4 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blue Ridge Sculpin 215
Blacknose Dace 142
Creek Chub 11
White Sucker 4
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Northern Green Frog

Crayfish:
Cambarus bartonii bartonii
Orconectes virilis

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

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Haploperla Green Stonefly 30
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 16
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 12
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 8
Paraphaenocladius Non-Biting Midges 6
Simulium Black Fly 5
Thienemanniella Non-Biting Midges 4
Prosimulium Black Fly 3
Diamesa Bloodworm 3
Orthocladiinae Midge 2
Corynoneura Non-Biting Midges 2
Cricotopus Non-Biting Midges 2
DIAMESINAE Non-Biting Midges 2
Prostoia Spring Stonefly 2
Sympotthastia Non-Biting Midges 2
Thienemannimyia Group Non-Biting Midges 2
PERLODIDAE Perlodid Stonefly 1
Optioservus Riffle Beetle 1
Oulimnius Riffle Beetle 1
EPHEMERELLIDAE Spiny Crawler Mayfly 1
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 1
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Rheotanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 1
Tipula Crane Fly 1
PHILOPOTAMIDAE Fingernet Caddisfly 1
Rhyacophila Free-Living Caddisfly 1
CHLOROPERLIDAE Green Stonefly 1
Eurylophella Mayfly 1
NAIDIDAE Aquatic Worm 1
Anchytarsus Beetle 1
Probezzia 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.