MBSS Site Summary for: LIBE-214-R-2003

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site LIBE-214-R-2003-630 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site LIBE-214-R-2003-640 (Opens in a new window)

Located on LIBERTY RESERVOIR UT1 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 6/23/2003.

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 Fair - 3.7 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Fair - 3.0 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 1,577 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 22 %
Agricultural Land Use 60 %
Forested Land Use 17 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 17/20 (Optimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 18/20 (Optimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 16/20 (Optimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 30 meters 		16/20 (Optimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 60 meters 		16/20 (Optimal)
Shading 92 %
Embeddedness 28 %
Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Optimal' at this location.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 14.7 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 9.4 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.37
Conductivity 181 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		537.7 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.9 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 11 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blue Ridge Sculpin 92
Spottail Shiner 66
Longnose Dace 63
Blacknose Dace 13
Bluegill 9
Bluntnose Minnow 7
Green Sunfish 7
Tessellated Darter 4
White Sucker 2
Smallmouth Bass 1
Yellow Bullhead 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
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
Chimarra Fingernet Caddisfly 23
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 23
Prosimulium Black Fly 16
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 12
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 9
Conchapelopia Non-Biting Midges 8
Homoplectra 5
Tipula Crane Fly 4
Optioservus Riffle Beetle 4
Antocha Crane Fly 3
Enchytraeidae Aquatic Worm 2
Glossosoma Little Black Caddisfly 2
Serratella Mayfly 1
Nigronia Megaloptera (Dark Fishfly) 1
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Lumbriculidae Worm 1
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 1
Perlodidae Perlodid Stonefly 1
Perlidae Common Stonefly 1
Planariidae Flatworm 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.