MBSS Site Summary for: LOCR-102-S-2011

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site LOCR-102-S-2011-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site LOCR-102-S-2011-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on SWAN CREEK UT in the Lower Chester River watershed, 8-digit code: 02130505.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/3/2011 and again in the summer on 6/2/2011.

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 - 2.3 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Poor - 1.9 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 431 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 0 %
Agricultural Land Use 16.4 %
Forested Land Use 76.8 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 8/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 3/20 (Poor)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 72 meters 		8/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 4 meters 		7/20 (Marginal)
Shading 60 %
Embeddedness 70 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 70%. This is relatively high, and may exclude some biota.


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 5.915
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		97.6 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 26.0848 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 218
Pumpkinseed 135
Golden Shiner 15
Brown Bullhead 7
American Eel 3
Redfin Pickerel 3
Bluegill 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Eastern Ratsnake
Northern Green Frog
Northern Water Snake
Pickerel Frog
Southern Leopard Frog

Crayfish:
Cambarus diogenes
Procambarus clarkii

Exotic Plants:
Autumn Olive
Common Reed (Phragmites)
Japanese Honeysuckle
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Stegopterna Black Fly 92
Simulium Black Fly 6
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 5
Musculium Fingernail Clam 2
Caecidotea Isopod 2
Synurella Amphipod 2
TUBIFICIDAE Aquatic Worm 2
Hydrobaenus Midge 1
Rheocricotopus Non-Biting Midges 1
Thienemannimyia Group Non-Biting Midges 1
Zavrelimyia 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.