MBSS Site Summary for: LOCR-110-R-2002

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site LOCR-110-R-2002-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site LOCR-110-R-2002-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on GRAYS INN CR UT in the Lower Chester River watershed, 8-digit code: 02130505.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/27/2002 and again in the summer on 6/18/2002.

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 714 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 4 %
Agricultural Land Use 42 %
Forested Land Use 54 %


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 8/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 8/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 75 meters 		15/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 0 meters 		0/20 (Poor)
Shading 85 %
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:
Water temperature 19.7 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 2.1 mg/L
Dissolved oxygen levels measured in the stream were very low (2.1 mg/L). Many fishes and other aquatic animals cannot tolerate low levels of oxygen in the water.
pH (lab) 5.8
Conductivity 200 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		115.9 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 22 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 8 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Eastern Mosquitofish 141
Pumpkinseed 21
Common Carp 9
Golden Shiner 9
Goldfish 9
Green Sunfish 6
Brown Bullhead 3
Bluegill 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Eastern Painted Turtle
Eastern Snapping Turtle
Northern Green Frog
Southern Leopard Frog

Crayfish:
Cambaridae

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Honeysuckle
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Isotomidae Springtail 31
Tubificidae Aquatic Worm 19
Naididae Aquatic Worm 10
Kiefferulus 5
Hydroporus Water Beetle 3
Tanytarsini Non-Biting Midges 2
Lumbriculidae Worm 2
Belostoma 2
Lepidoptera Aquatic Moth 2
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 2
Nemouridae Nemourid Stonefly 2
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Chaetocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Diplocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 1
Rheocricotopus Non-Biting Midges 1
Chauliodes 1
Pseudosuccinea Air Breathing Freshwater Snail 1
Crangonyx Amphipod 1
Bezzia Biting Midge 1
Tipulidae Cranefly 1
Tabanidae Horse Fly 1
Orthocladiinae Midge 1
Aedes Mosquito 1
Limnephilidae Northern Casemaker Caddisfly 1
Pisidiidae Pill Clam 1
Tropisternus Water Scavenger Beetle 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.