MBSS Site Summary for: MACK-266-A-2007

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site MACK-266-A-2007-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site MACK-266-A-2007-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on Sullivan Branch in the Marshyhope Creek watershed, 8-digit code: 02130306.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/21/2007 and again in the summer on 8/15/2007.

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 - 4.4 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 5,037 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 0.9 %
Agricultural Land Use 66.4 %
Forested Land Use 32 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 6/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 72 meters 		11/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 4 meters 		7/20 (Marginal)
Shading 80 %
Embeddedness 40 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 20.1 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 5.1 mg/L
pH (lab) 6.61
Conductivity 148 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		185.7 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 4.1335 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 15 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Least Brook Lamprey 33
American Eel 21
Redbreast Sunfish 18
Pumpkinseed 17
Margined Madtom 11
Blue Ridge Sculpin 9
Chain Pickerel 5
Pirate Perch 5
Yellow Bullhead 4
Eastern Mudminnow 3
Creek Chubsucker 2
Sea Lamprey 2
Black Crappie 1
Largemouth Bass 1
Tessellated Darter 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Common Five-Lined Skink
Eastern Ratsnake
Northern Green Frog
Pickerel Frog
Southern Leopard Frog

Crayfish:
Orconectes limosus
Procambarus acutus acutus

Exotic Plants:
Common Reed (Phragmites)
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 19
Thienemannimyia group Non-Biting Midges 16
Pycnopsyche Great Autumn Brown Sedge Caddisfly 13
Isoperla Stripetail Stonefly 7
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 6
Prosimulium Black Fly 4
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 4
Rheocricotopus Non-Biting Midges 4
Corynoneura Non-Biting Midges 3
Enchytraeidae Aquatic Worm 3
Calopteryx Damselfly 2
Heptageniidae Flathead Mayfly 2
Corbicula Basket Clam 1
Ablabesmyia Non-Biting Midge 1
Brillia Non-Biting Midges 1
Clioperla Green-Winged Stonefly 1
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 1
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 1
Physa Air-Breathing Freshwater Snail 1
Pseudorthocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Polycentropus Tube Maker Caddisfly 1
Ironoquia Northern Caddisfly 1
Leptophlebiidae Pronggilled Mayfly 1
Macronychus Riffle Beetle 1
Ancyronyx Spider Riffle Beetle 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.