MBSS Site Summary for: LIBE-209-A-2011

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site LIBE-209-A-2011-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site LIBE-209-A-2011-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on JOE BRANCH 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 6/3/2011.

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 Good - 4.3 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Fair - 3.7 / 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 543 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 6.2 %
Agricultural Land Use 47.8 %
Forested Land Use 45.4 %


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 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 55 meters 		13/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 49 meters 		13/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 85 %
Embeddedness 35 %


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 7.295
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		322.6 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.9474 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 8 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blue Ridge Sculpin 162
Rosyside Dace 93
Blacknose Dace 59
Creek Chub 10
Longnose Dace 8
White Sucker 3
Tessellated Darter 2
Redbreast Sunfish 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Northern Green Frog

Crayfish:
Orconectes virilis

Exotic Plants:
Burning Bush
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
Prosimulium Black Fly 24
Strophopteryx Early Brown Stonefly 24
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 10
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 10
Neophylax Caddisfly 7
NEMOURIDAE Nemourid Stonefly 5
EPHEMERELLIDAE Spiny Crawler Mayfly 5
Prostoia Spring Stonefly 4
Sympotthastia Non-Biting Midges 4
PERLIDAE Common Stonefly 3
Thienemanniella Non-Biting Midges 2
Thienemannimyia Group Non-Biting Midges 2
Optioservus Riffle Beetle 2
Oulimnius Riffle Beetle 2
CAPNIIDAE Small Winter Stonefly 2
Sweltsa Stonefly 2
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 2
Eccoptura Yellow Stone Stonefly 1
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Clinocera Aquatic Dance Fly 1
Helichus Beetle 1
Probezzia Biting Midges 1
Tipula Crane Fly 1
HEPTAGENIIDAE Flathead Mayfly 1
Prostoma Freshwater Nemertean (Ribbon Worm) 1
Acroneuria Golden Stoneflies 1
Dicranota Hairy-Eyed Cranefly 1
Stilocladius Midge 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.