MBSS Site Summary for: LIBE-318-R-2000

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site LIBE-318-R-2000-01_18 (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 3/2/2000 and again in the summer on 7/13/2000.

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 Good - 4.0 / 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 12,021 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 75 %
Forested Land Use 23.9 %


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 16/20 (Optimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 17/20 (Optimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 65 meters 		18/20 (Optimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 30 meters 		18/20 (Optimal)
Shading 38 %
Embeddedness 39 %
Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Optimal' at this location.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 16.7 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 8.8 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.47
Conductivity 160 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		429.9 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 0.9 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 17 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Bluntnose Minnow 282
White Sucker 229
Blue Ridge Sculpin 154
Rosyside Dace 114
Common Shiner 47
Creek Chub 37
Cutlip Minnow 34
Blacknose Dace 22
Longnose Dace 20
Northern Hogsucker 20
Tessellated Darter 18
Brown Trout 13
Largemouth Bass 9
Central Stoneroller 8
Rainbow Trout 2
Pumpkinseed 1
River Chub 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Eastern Box Turtle
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
Prostoia Spring Stonefly 39
Prosimulium Black Fly 19
Isonychia Slate Drake Mayfly 9
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 8
Optioservus Riffle Beetle 6
Oulimnius Riffle Beetle 5
Cricotopus/Orthocladius Midge 5
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 5
Ephemerellidae Spiny Crawler Mayfly 4
Diamesa Bloodworm 4
Clinocera Aquatic Dance Fly 4
Antocha Crane Fly 4
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 3
Ameletus Combmouthed Minnow Mayfly 3
Corydalus Dobsonfly 2
Chimarra Fingernet Caddisfly 1
Gordiidae Horsehair Worm 1
Nigronia Megaloptera (Dark Fishfly) 1
Ceratopogonidae Biting Midge 1
Stilocladius Midge 1
Corynoneura Non-Biting Midges 1
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 1
Rheosmittia Non-Biting Midges 1
Dineutus Whirlygig Beetle 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.