MBSS Site Summary for: LIBE-101-X-2014

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site LIBE-101-X-2014-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site LIBE-101-X-2014-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on ASPEN RUN in the Liberty Reservoir watershed, 8-digit code: 02130907.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/19/2014 and again in the summer on 7/18/2014.

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 Poor - 2.7 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 2,828 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 10.4 %
Agricultural Land Use 61.6 %
Forested Land Use 25.5 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 16/20 (Optimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 46 meters 		17/20 (Optimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 37 meters 		14/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 70 %
Embeddedness 45 %


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 7.3
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		348.2 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 0.7333 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 12 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blue Ridge Sculpin 171
Rosyside Dace 88
Blacknose Dace 57
Creek Chub 38
White Sucker 38
Brown Trout 34
Longnose Dace 11
Bluegill 8
Largemouth Bass 4
Common Shiner 1
Cutlip Minnow 1
Pumpkinseed 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Northern Two-Lined Salamander

Crayfish:
Orconectes virilis

Exotic Plants:
Garlic Mustard
Japanese Barberry
Japanese Stiltgrass
Multiflora Rose
Oriental Bittersweet
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 49
Sympotthastia Non-Biting Midges 11
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 10
Prosimulium Black Fly 6
Hydrobaenus Midge 6
Diamesa Bloodworm 3
Neophylax Caddisfly 3
Antocha Crane Fly 2
Orthocladiinae Midge 2
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 2
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 2
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 2
Prostoia Spring Stonefly 2
Clinocera Aquatic Dance Fly 1
Oulimnius Riffle Beetle 1
Isonychia Slate Drake Mayfly 1
Ephemerellidae Spiny Crawler Mayfly 1
Strophopteryx Early Brown Stonefly 1
Chimarra Fingernet Caddisfly 1
Maccaffertium March Brown And Cahill Mayfly 1
Diamesinae Non-Biting Midges 1
Micropsectra Non-Biting Midges 1
Microtendipes 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.