MBSS Site Summary for: MACK-101-R-2004

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site MACK-101-R-2004-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site MACK-101-R-2004-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on MARSHYHOPE CR UT 1 in the Marshyhope Creek watershed, 8-digit code: 02130306.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/25/2004 and again in the summer on 6/14/2004.

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 Fair - 3.0 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Good - 4.7 / 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 1,667 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 1 %
Agricultural Land Use 85 %
Forested Land Use 11 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 70 meters 		13/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 17 meters 		16/20 (Optimal)
Shading 96 %
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 18.7 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 7.7 mg/L
pH (lab) 6.59
Conductivity 206 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		158.7 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.4 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
Eastern Mudminnow 242
American Eel 19
Tessellated Darter 14
Least Brook Lamprey 12
Pirate Perch 7
Redfin Pickerel 4
Yellow Bullhead 3
Brown Bullhead 1
Chain Pickerel 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Eastern Box Turtle
Fowler's Toad
Gray Treefrog
Northern Green Frog
Pickerel Frog
Southern Leopard Frog

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
No exotic plants noted.
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Crangonyx Amphipod 21
Rheocricotopus Non-Biting Midges 10
Rheosmittia Non-Biting Midges 10
Thienemannimyia group Non-Biting Midges 10
Acerpenna Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 6
Physa Air-Breathing Freshwater Snail 6
Micropsectra Non-Biting Midges 6
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 6
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 4
Leptoceridae Longhorned Casemaker Caddisfly 4
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 3
Apsectrotanypus Non-Biting Midges 3
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 3
Trissopelopia Non-Biting Midges 3
Leptophlebiidae Pronggilled Mayfly 3
Isoperla Stripetail Stonefly 3
Polycentropus Tube Maker Caddisfly 1
Lumbriculidae Worm 1
Ablabesmyia Non-Biting Midge 1
Girardia Freshwater Flatworm 1
Eurylophella Mayfly 1
Nigronia Megaloptera (Dark Fishfly) 1
Orthocladiinae Midge 1
Argia Narrow-Winged Damselfly 1
Molanna 1
Calopteryx Damselfly 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.