MBSS Site Summary for: LIBE-109-R-2003

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site LIBE-109-R-2003-634 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site LIBE-109-R-2003-635 (Opens in a new window)

Located on LITTLE MORGAN RUN UT4 in the Liberty Reservoir watershed, 8-digit code: 02130907.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/5/2003 and again in the summer on 6/18/2003.

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 Good - 4.0 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 428 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 8 %
Agricultural Land Use 77 %
Forested Land Use 14 %


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 17/20 (Optimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 8/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 16 meters
6/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 75 meters
15/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 90 %
Embeddedness 30 %


Stream Water Quality:

Water temperature 14.1 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 11 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.28
Conductivity 219 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity)
337.3 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1 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
Blue Ridge Sculpin 226
Blacknose Dace 21
Longnose Dace 10
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:

Eastern Red-Backed Salamander
Northern Dusky Salamander
Northern Red Salamander
Northern Two-Lined Salamander

Crayfish:

No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:

Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Mile-A-Minute
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:

Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Allocapnia Small Winter Stonefly 37
Sympotthastia Non-Biting Midges 16
Prosimulium Black Fly 8
Tipula Crane Fly 5
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 5
Diplectrona Net-Spinning Caddisfly 5
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 4
Rhyacophila Free-Living Caddisfly 4
Neophylax Caddisfly 4
Perlidae Common Stonefly 3
Hexatoma Crane Fly 3
Thienemannimyia group Non-Biting Midges 3
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 2
Lumbriculidae Worm 2
Acroneuria Golden Stoneflies 2
Anchytarsus Beetle 2
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 2
Eurylophella Mayfly 1
Dolophilodes Medium Evening Sedge Caddisfly 1
Nemouridae Nemourid Stonefly 1
Lype Net Tube Caddisfly 1
Aeshnidae Darner Dragonfly 1
Strophopteryx Early Brown Stonefly 1
Stegopterna Black Fly 1
Enchytraeidae Aquatic Worm 1
Naididae Aquatic Worm 1
Polycentropus Tube Maker Caddisfly 1
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 1
Oemopteryx Stonefly 1
Trissopelopia Non-Biting Midges 1
Limnephilidae Northern Casemaker Caddisfly 1
Leptophlebiidae Pronggilled Mayfly 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.