MBSS Site Summary for: MACK-122-R-2015

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site MACK-122-R-2015_Midpoint-downstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site MACK-122-R-2015_Midpoint-upstream (Opens in a new window)

Located on TOMMY WRIGHT BRANCH in the Marshyhope Creek watershed, 8-digit code: 02130306.
This stream was visited in the spring on 4/9/2015 and again in the summer on 8/26/2015.

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 Fair - 3.6 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 2,046 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 3.9 %
Agricultural Land Use 68.8 %
Forested Land Use 25.5 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 7/20 (Marginal)
Epifaunal Substrate 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 6/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 75 meters 		11/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 0 meters 		0/20 (Poor)
Shading 15 %
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) 6.46
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		228.2 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 2.8401 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 14 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Bluegill 172
Eastern Mudminnow 47
Creek Chubsucker 28
Least Brook Lamprey 27
Largemouth Bass 16
Chain Pickerel 8
Pumpkinseed 7
American Eel 5
Brown Bullhead 4
Pirate Perch 2
Tadpole Madtom 2
Tessellated Darter 2
Yellow Bullhead 2
Black Crappie 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Northern Green Frog

Crayfish:
Orconectes limosus

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 52
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 17
Triaenodes Long-Horned Caddisfly 8
Thienemannimyia Group Non-Biting Midges 5
Tanytarsini Non-Biting Midges 5
Maccaffertium March Brown And Cahill Mayfly 4
Orthocladiinae Midge 3
Polycentropus Tube Maker Caddisfly 3
Naididae Aquatic Worm 2
Simulium Black Fly 2
Phaenopsectra Non-Biting Midges 2
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 2
Alotanypus Non-Biting Midges 2
Dicrotendipes Non-Biting Midges 1
Ablabesmyia Non-Biting Midge 1
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 1
Potthastia Non-Biting Midges 1
Paratanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 1
Platycentropus 1
Bezzia Biting Midge 1
Argia Narrow-Winged Damselfly 1
Caenis 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.