MBSS Site Summary for: LSUS-292-A-2011

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site LSUS-292-A-2011-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site LSUS-292-A-2011-2 (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 3/22/2011 and again in the summer on 6/7/2011.

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 - 4.3 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Good - 4.7 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 2,227 acres A highly channelized urban stream with concrete banks. An example of a highly channelized urban stream.
Urban Land Use 18.1 %
Agricultural Land Use 17.8 %
Forested Land Use 54.3 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 9/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 39 meters 		7/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 47 meters 		16/20 (Optimal)
Shading 85 %
Embeddedness 30 %


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 7.334
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		274.6 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 2.0483 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 12 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Rosyside Dace 180
Blacknose Dace 108
Blue Ridge Sculpin 48
Creek Chub 43
American Eel 41
Green Sunfish 22
Cutlip Minnow 19
Common Shiner 9
Tessellated Darter 8
Pumpkinseed 6
White Sucker 4
Brown Bullhead 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Northern Green Frog
Northern Water Snake

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Barberry
Multiflora Rose
Oriental Bittersweet
Wineberry
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 31
Prosimulium Black Fly 12
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 9
EPHEMERELLIDAE Spiny Crawler Mayfly 8
Eurylophella Mayfly 6
Orthocladiinae Midge 4
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 4
Haploperla Green Stonefly 4
Psephenus Water Penny 4
Boyeria Spotted Darner Dragonfly 3
Acroneuria Golden Stoneflies 3
Optioservus Riffle Beetle 3
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 2
LEPTOPHLEBIIDAE Pronggilled Mayfly 2
Prostoia Spring Stonefly 2
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 2
Corynoneura Non-Biting Midges 2
DIAMESINAE Non-Biting Midges 1
Brillia Non-Biting Midges 1
Diplectrona Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Epeorus Mayfly 1
Neophylax Caddisfly 1
Tipula Crane Fly 1
Aquarius 1
Leuctra  Rolled-Winged Stonefly 1
Clinocera Aquatic Dance Fly 1
NAIDIDAE Aquatic Worm 1
Oulimnius Riffle Beetle 1
Promoresia Riffle Beetle 1
Sympotthastia Non-Biting Midges 1
Tanypodinae 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.