MBSS Site Summary for: LWIN-306-A-2012

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site LWIN-306-A-2012-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site LWIN-306-A-2012-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on OTTER POINT CREEK in the Lower Winters Run watershed, 8-digit code: 02130702.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/6/2012 and again in the summer on 6/22/2012.

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 - 4.0 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Good - 4.1 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 36,641 acres A highly channelized urban stream with concrete banks. An example of a highly channelized urban stream.
Urban Land Use 32.2 %
Agricultural Land Use 27.8 %
Forested Land Use 37.7 %


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 9/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 145 meters 		16/20 (Optimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 10 meters 		15/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 40 %
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:
pH (lab) 7.33
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		570.7 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.3792 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 24 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
American Eel 130
Redbreast Sunfish 68
Tessellated Darter 63
White Sucker 30
Creek Chub 23
Pumpkinseed 23
Bluntnose Minnow 18
Creek Chubsucker 15
Sea Lamprey 8
Smallmouth Bass 8
Fallfish 7
Margined Madtom 6
White Perch 6
Bluegill 5
Satinfin Shiner 5
Spottail Shiner 5
Green Sunfish 4
Largemouth Bass 4
Eastern Silvery Minnow 3
Banded Killifish 2
Longnose Dace 2
Eastern Mudminnow 1
Redfin Pickerel 1
Yellow Perch 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Eastern American Toad
Northern Green Frog
Northern Water Snake
Pickerel Frog

Crayfish:
Orconectes limosus
Orconectes virilis

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

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 41
Crangonyx Amphipod 11
Hydrobaenus Midge 11
Brillia Non-Biting Midges 6
Cricotopus Non-Biting Midges 5
Rheocricotopus Non-Biting Midges 5
Orthocladiinae Midge 4
Maccaffertium March Brown And Cahill Mayfly 4
Gammarus Amphipod 4
Ameletus Combmouthed Minnow Mayfly 2
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 2
Isonychia Slate Drake Mayfly 2
Polycentropus Tube Maker Caddisfly 2
Thienemanniella Non-Biting Midges 1
Tribelos Non-Biting Midges 1
Oulimnius Riffle Beetle 1
PERLIDAE Common Stonefly 1
Stenelmis Beetle 1
Hydroptila Microcaddisfly 1
Nanocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Corynoneura Non-Biting Midges 1
Phaenopsectra Non-Biting Midges 1
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 1
Potthastia 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.