MBSS Site Summary for: LIEL-325-R-2003

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site LIEL-325-R-2003-1004 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site LIEL-325-R-2003-1005 (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 7/31/2003.

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 - 4.3 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Fair - 3.7 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 10,162 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 3 %
Agricultural Land Use 79 %
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 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 30 meters 		16/20 (Optimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 55 meters 		16/20 (Optimal)
Shading 15 %
Embeddedness 15 %
Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Optimal' at this location.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 21.2 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 10.7 mg/L
pH (lab) 8.09
Conductivity 179 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		748.3 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 2.6 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
Tessellated Darter 328
Blue Ridge Sculpin 326
Creek Chub 277
White Sucker 196
American Eel 108
Bluegill 61
Longnose Dace 57
Satinfin Shiner 45
Swallowtail Shiner 37
Margined Madtom 27
Smallmouth Bass 22
Redbreast Sunfish 18
Common Shiner 15
Largemouth Bass 11
Blacknose Dace 8
Rosyside Dace 6
Brown Bullhead 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Northern Two-Lined Salamander
Northern Watersnake

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Diamesa Bloodworm 16
Helicopsyche 15
Psephenus Water Penny 15
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 11
Stenelmis Beetle 8
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 5
Orthocladiinae Midge 5
Cricotopus Non-Biting Midges 4
Dubiraphia Riffle Beetle 4
Caenis Mayfly 4
Eurylophella Mayfly 3
Hydrobaenus Midge 3
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 3
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 3
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 3
Micropsectra Non-Biting Midges 2
Argia Narrow-Winged Damselfly 2
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 2
Stempellinella Non-Biting Midges 2
Optioservus Riffle Beetle 2
Chimarra Fingernet Caddisfly 2
Prosimulium Black Fly 2
Simulium Black Fly 1
Hydroptila Microcaddisfly 1
Helisoma 1
Berosus 1
Goniobasis 1
Drunella Blue-Winged Olive Mayfly 1
Neophylax Caddisfly 1
Peltodytes Crawling Water Beetle 1
Corydalus Dobsonfly 1
Musculium Fingernail Clam 1
Isonychia Slate Drake Mayfly 1
Thienemannimyia group Non-Biting Midges 1
Rheocricotopus Non-Biting Midges 1
Coenagrionidae Narrowwinged Damselfly 1
Limnophyes Non-Biting Midge 1
Corynoneura Non-Biting Midges 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.