MBSS Site Summary for: LOCR-102-S-2003

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site LOCR-102-S-2003-0971 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site LOCR-102-S-2003-0972 (Opens in a new window)

Located on SWAN CR in the Lower Chester River watershed, 8-digit code: 02130505.
This stream was visited in the spring on 4/2/2003 and again in the summer on 6/30/2003.

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 Poor - 2.0 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Poor - 2.4 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 390 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 0 %
Agricultural Land Use 12.3 %
Forested Land Use 80.2 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 62 meters 		13/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 20 meters 		11/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 65 %
Embeddedness 30 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 28.4 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 4.1 mg/L
Dissolved oxygen levels measured in the stream were very low (4.1 mg/L). Many fishes and other aquatic animals cannot tolerate low levels of oxygen in the water.
pH (lab) 5.79
Conductivity 64 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		79.3 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 24.9 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 7 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Eastern Mudminnow 1768
Pumpkinseed 21
Redfin Pickerel 7
American Eel 4
Brown Bullhead 2
Golden Shiner 2
Eastern Mosquitofish 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Fowler's Toad
Northern Green Frog
Northern Red-Bellied Turtle
Northern Watersnake
Pickerel Frog

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
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 25
Procladius Non-Biting Midge 20
Stegopterna Black Fly 16
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 15
Simulium Black Fly 10
Dicrotendipes Non-Biting Midges 4
Caecidotea Isopod 4
Orthocladiinae Midge 4
Parachironomus 4
Paraphaenocladius Non-Biting Midges 3
Rheocricotopus Non-Biting Midges 2
Crangonyx Amphipod 2
Cnephia Black Fly 2
Lumbriculidae Worm 2
Trissopelopia Non-Biting Midges 2
Pisidiidae Pill Clam 1
Ostrocerca Stonefly 1
Diptera True Fly 1
Hydroporus Water Beetle 1
Simuliidae Black Fly 1
Tipulidae Cranefly 1
Pisidium Freshwater Pea (Pill) Clam 1
Naididae Aquatic Worm 1
Tubificidae Aquatic Worm 1
Tanytarsini Non-Biting Midges 1
Nemouridae Nemourid Stonefly 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.