MBSS Site Summary for: LIBE-303-R-2000

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site LIBE-303-R-2000-01_01 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site LIBE-303-R-2000-01_02 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site LIBE-303-R-2000-01_03 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site LIBE-303-R-2000-01_04 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site LIBE-303-R-2000-01_05 (Opens in a new window)

Located on MORGAN RUN in the Liberty Reservoir watershed, 8-digit code: 02130907.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/1/2000 and again in the summer on 6/12/2000.

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 - 3.0 / 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 18,000 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 0.7 %
Agricultural Land Use 69 %
Forested Land Use 30 %


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 17/20 (Optimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 17/20 (Optimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 50 meters 		16/20 (Optimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 70 meters 		17/20 (Optimal)
Shading 75 %
Embeddedness 30 %
Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Optimal' at this location.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 20.2 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 8.1 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.41
Conductivity 170 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		395.7 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.1 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 20 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Bluntnose Minnow 728
Blue Ridge Sculpin 475
Longnose Dace 292
Blacknose Dace 159
Northern Hogsucker 83
Central Stoneroller 61
White Sucker 60
Tessellated Darter 50
Largemouth Bass 20
Margined Madtom 17
Spottail Shiner 14
Common Shiner 8
Creek Chub 8
Rosyside Dace 6
Yellow Bullhead 3
River Chub 2
Smallmouth Bass 2
Brown Trout 1
Channel Catfish 1
Cutlip Minnow 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Northern Green Frog
Northern Two-Lined Salamander

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Honeysuckle
Mile-A-Minute
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Prostoia Spring Stonefly 24
Clinocera Aquatic Dance Fly 22
Diamesa Bloodworm 13
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 9
Cricotopus/Orthocladius Midge 7
Orthocladiinae Midge 6
Isonychia Slate Drake Mayfly 4
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 4
Prosimulium Black Fly 4
Antocha Crane Fly 3
Drunella Blue-Winged Olive Mayfly 2
Oemopteryx Stonefly 2
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 2
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 2
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 2
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 1
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 1
Naididae Aquatic Worm 1
Parakiefferiella European Non-Biting Midge 1
Acroneuria Golden Stoneflies 1
Hemerodromia Tiny Fly 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.