MBSS Site Summary for: LOCR-102-S-2013

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site LOCR-102-S-2013-MidpointPdownstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site LOCR-102-S-2013-MidpointPupstream (Opens in a new window)

Located on SWAN CREEK in the Lower Chester River watershed, 8-digit code: 02130505.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/12/2013 and again in the summer on 7/16/2013.

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 - 2.7 / 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 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 16/20 (Optimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 4/20 (Poor)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 68 meters 		9/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 8 meters 		11/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 65 %
Embeddedness 100 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 100%. This is very high, and may adversely affect biotic communities.


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 5.83
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		70.2 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 21.0284 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 10 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Eastern Mudminnow 259
Pumpkinseed 79
Eastern Mosquitofish 19
Golden Shiner 18
Bluegill 7
Brown Bullhead 4
American Eel 3
Black Crappie 3
Largemouth Bass 2
Redfin Pickerel 2
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Gray Treefrog
Northern Green Frog
Northern Spring Peeper
Pickerel Frog
Redbelly Turtle
Southern Leopard Frog

Crayfish:
Cambarus diogenes
Procambarus clarkii

Exotic Plants:
Autumn Olive
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Multiflora Rose
Tree Of Heaven
Wineberry
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Stegopterna Black Fly 61
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 8
Prosimulium Black Fly 6
Simulium Black Fly 4
Rheocricotopus Non-Biting Midges 4
Musculium Fingernail Clam 3
LUMBRICULIDAE Worm 3
SIMULIIDAE Black Fly 2
TUBIFICIDAE Aquatic Worm 2
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 2
Limnophyes Non-Biting Midge 2
Dicrotendipes Non-Biting Midges 1
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 1
Paraphaenocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Ironoquia Northern Caddisfly 1
Prostoia Spring Stonefly 1
Pilaria 1
Caecidotea Isopod 1
Hydrobaenus Midge 1
TIPULIDAE Cranefly 1
Chrysops Deerfly 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.