MBSS Site Summary for: LSUS-103-X-2014

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site LSUS-103-X-2014-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site LSUS-103-X-2014-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on MILL CREEK in the L Susquehanna River watershed, 8-digit code: 02120201.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/10/2014 and again in the summer on 7/29/2014.

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 Good - 4.7 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Good - 4.3 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
(Hint: Screen readers will announce definitions; mouse users can hover over dotted text.)
Catchment area 1,310 acres A highly channelized urban stream with concrete banks. An example of a highly channelized urban stream.
Urban Land Use 24.9 %
Agricultural Land Use 18.7 %
Forested Land Use 43.4 %


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 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 40 meters 		12/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 37 meters 		14/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 75 %
Embeddedness 30 %


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 7.18
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		267.7 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.4042 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
Blue Ridge Sculpin 100
Blacknose Dace 82
Rosyside Dace 59
Creek Chub 20
Tessellated Darter 14
White Sucker 8
American Eel 6
Brown Trout 6
Green Sunfish 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Northern Green Frog
Northern Two-Lined Salamander
Pickerel Frog

Crayfish:
Cambarus bartonii bartonii
Orconectes virilis

Exotic Plants:
Burning Bush
Garlic Mustard
Japanese Barberry
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Mile-A-Minute
Oriental Bittersweet
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Prosimulium Black Fly 35
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 7
Rheotanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 6
Ephemerellidae Spiny Crawler Mayfly 6
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 6
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 6
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 5
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 4
Stilocladius Midge 4
Dolophilodes Medium Evening Sedge Caddisfly 4
Teloganopsis Mayfly 3
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 3
Maccaffertium March Brown And Cahill Mayfly 2
Perlodidae Perlodid Stonefly 2
Microcylloepus Riffle Beetle 2
Optioservus Riffle Beetle 2
Leuctridae Rolledwinged Stonefly 2
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 2
Sympotthastia Non-Biting Midges 1
Thienemannimyia Group Non-Biting Midges 1
Capniidae Small Winter Stonefly 1
Lumbriculidae Worm 1
Prostoia Spring Stonefly 1
Anchytarsus Beetle 1
Nigronia Megaloptera (Dark Fishfly) 1
Neophylax Caddisfly 1
Ameletus Combmouthed Minnow Mayfly 1
Chrysops Deerfly 1
Strophopteryx Early Brown Stonefly 1
Acroneuria Golden Stoneflies 1
Chloroperlidae Green Stonefly 1
Triaenodes Long-Horned Caddisfly 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.