MBSS Site Summary for: LSUS-111-R-2009

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site LSUS-111-R-2009-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site LSUS-111-R-2009-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on Rock Run in the L Susquehanna River watershed, 8-digit code: 02120201.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/9/2009 and again in the summer on 6/8/2009.

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 Good - 4.0 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 221 acres Cows standing in a stream at a site with high agricultural land use. Cows survey the sampling procedure at this extreme example of a highly agriculturalized site.
Urban Land Use 0.1 %
Agricultural Land Use 74.4 %
Forested Land Use 24.2 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 10/20 (Marginal)
Epifaunal Substrate 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 7/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 29 meters 		8/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 51 meters 		11/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 65 %
Embeddedness 10 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 16.8 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 8.7 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.39
Conductivity 146 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		448.5 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.7397 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 5 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Rosyside Dace 61
Blacknose Dace 50
Creek Chub 14
American Eel 6
Tessellated Darter 3
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Eastern American Toad
Eastern Gartersnake
Fowler's Toad
Gray Treefrog
Northern Two-Lined Salamander
Pickerel Frog

Crayfish:
Cambarus bartonii bartonii

Exotic Plants:
Garlic Mustard
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Mile-A-Minute
Multiflora Rose
Oriental Bittersweet
Wineberry
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 52
Prosimulium Black Fly 26
Neophylax Caddisfly 3
Chloroperlidae Green Stonefly 3
Epeorus Mayfly 3
Nemouridae Nemourid Stonefly 3
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 2
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 2
Sympotthastia Non-Biting Midges 2
Thienemanniella Non-Biting Midges 1
Perlodidae Perlodid Stonefly 1
Lumbriculidae Worm 1
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Diplectrona Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 1
Serratella Mayfly 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.