MBSS Site Summary for: LIEL-318-R-2003

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site LIEL-318-R-2003-1008 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site LIEL-318-R-2003-1009 (Opens in a new window)

Located on LITTLE ELK CR in the Little Elk Creek watershed, 8-digit code: 02130605.
This stream was visited in the spring on 4/14/2003 and again in the summer on 8/12/2003.

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 - 4.0 / 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 12,484 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 4 %
Agricultural Land Use 77 %
Forested Land Use 18 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 18/20 (Optimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 17/20 (Optimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 35 meters 		16/20 (Optimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 75 meters 		17/20 (Optimal)
Shading 65 %
Embeddedness 40 %
Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Optimal' at this location.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 22 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 7.7 mg/L
pH (lab) 8.04
Conductivity 189 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		736.6 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 2.5 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 21 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
River Chub 109
American Eel 81
Smallmouth Bass 71
White Sucker 53
Redbreast Sunfish 52
Margined Madtom 39
Common Shiner 29
Tessellated Darter 28
Creek Chub 19
Cutlip Minnow 19
Blue Ridge Sculpin 14
Bluegill 13
Longnose Dace 7
Northern Hogsucker 7
Rosyside Dace 6
Rosyface Shiner 3
Swallowtail Shiner 3
Satinfin Shiner 2
Sea Lamprey 2
Largemouth Bass 1
Pumpkinseed 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Eastern American Toad
Eastern Snapping Turtle
Fowler's Toad
Northern Watersnake
Pickerel Frog

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Diamesa Bloodworm 27
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 14
Rheocricotopus Non-Biting Midges 5
Simulium Black Fly 4
Heptageniidae Flathead Mayfly 4
Orthocladiinae Midge 3
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 3
Chimarra Fingernet Caddisfly 3
Stenelmis Beetle 3
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 3
Clinocera Aquatic Dance Fly 2
Sialis Alderfly 1
Chelifera Aquatic Dance Fly 1
Hydropsychidae Common Netspinner Caddisfly 1
Antocha Crane Fly 1
Cricotopus Non-Biting Midges 1
Nanocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 1
Girardia Freshwater Flatworm 1
Triaenodes Long-Horned Caddisfly 1
Caenis Mayfly 1
Serratella Mayfly 1
Rheosmittia Non-Biting Midges 1
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 1
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 1
Optioservus Riffle Beetle 1
Isonychia Slate Drake Mayfly 1
Baetidae Small Minnow Mayfly 1
Ephemerella Sulphur 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.