MBSS Site Summary for: LOCR-102-S-2017

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site LOCR-102-S-2017-DownstreamFromMidpoint (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site LOCR-102-S-2017-UpstreamFromMidpoint (Opens in a new window)

Located on UT Swan Creek in the Lower Chester River watershed, 8-digit code: 02130505.
This stream was visited in the spring on 4/12/2017 and again in the summer on 7/31/2017.

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 Poor - 2.7 / 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 17.4 %
Forested Land Use 74.3 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 8/20 (Marginal)
Epifaunal Substrate 10/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 5/20 (Poor)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 53 meters 		6/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 29 meters 		7/20 (Marginal)
Shading 75 %
Embeddedness 75 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 75%. This is relatively high, and may exclude some biota.


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 6.03
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		134.8 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 37.714 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 9 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Eastern Mosquitofish 940
Eastern Mudminnow 326
Brown Bullhead 6
Pumpkinseed 3
Bluegill 2
Largemouth Bass 2
American Eel 1
Black Crappie 1
Golden Shiner 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Cope's Gray Treefrog
Eastern Box Turtle
Eastern Cricket Frog
Eastern Snapping Turtle
Fowler's Toad
Northern Black Racer
Northern Green Frog
Southern Leopard Frog

Crayfish:
Cambarus diogenes
Procambarus clarkii

Exotic Plants:
Autumn Olive
Japanese Stiltgrass
Multiflora Rose
Phragmites
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
CNEPHIA Black Fly 46
CAECIDOTEA Isopod 16
SIMULIUM Black Fly 14
STEGOPTERNA Black Fly 9
DIPLOCLADIUS Non-Biting Midges 5
NANOCLADIUS Non-Biting Midges 3
ORTHOCLADIUS Non-Biting Midges 3
ORTHOCLADIINAE Midge 3
SYNURELLA Amphipod 3
NEOPOROUS Predaceous Diving Beetle 3
THIENEMANNIMYIA GROUP Non-Biting Midges 2
TRIBELOS Non-Biting Midges 1
LUMBRICULIDAE Worm 1
ENDOCHIRONOMUS 1
TUBIFICIDAE Aquatic Worm 1
DOLICHOPODIDAE Long-Legged Fly 1
CAENIS Mayfly 1
PSEUDOLIMNOPHILA Crane Fly 1
CHRYSOPS Deerfly 1
PARATENDIPES European Non-Biting Midge 1
CLINOTANYPUS Non-Biting Midge 1
PROCLADIUS Non-Biting Midge 1
DICROTENDIPES Non-Biting Midges 1
POLYPEDILUM Non-Biting Midges 1
TANYTARSUS 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.