MBSS Site Summary for: MARS-210-R-2014

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site MARS-210-R-2014-MidpointDownstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site MARS-210-R-2014-MidpointUpstream (Opens in a new window)

Located on MARSH RUN in the Marsh Run watershed, 8-digit code: 02140503.
This stream was visited in the spring on 4/8/2014 and again in the summer on 7/16/2014.

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 - 3.7 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Poor - 2.0 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 3,106 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 24 %
Agricultural Land Use 64.8 %
Forested Land Use 10.5 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 10/20 (Marginal)
Epifaunal Substrate 6/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 70 meters 		16/20 (Optimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 5 meters 		8/20 (Marginal)
Shading 55 %
Embeddedness 90 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 90%. This is relatively high, and may exclude some biota.


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 8.06
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		5397 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.2165 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 8 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
White Sucker 139
Fantail Darter 85
Blacknose Dace 56
Pumpkinseed 45
Bluegill 30
Bluntnose Minnow 18
Greenside Darter 4
Fathead Minnow 2
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Northern Green Frog
Northern Two-Lined Salamander

Crayfish:
Orconectes virilis

Exotic Plants:
Autumn Olive
Garlic Mustard
Japanese Barberry
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Hops
Japanese Stiltgrass
Multiflora Rose
Oriental Bittersweet
Privet
Shrub Honeysuckle
Tree Of Heaven
Wineberry
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Gammarus Amphipod 51
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 15
Micropsectra Non-Biting Midges 11
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 10
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 9
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 5
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 5
Paratendipes European Non-Biting Midge 4
Simulium Black Fly 2
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 2
Stempellinella Non-Biting Midges 2
Polycentropus Tube Maker Caddisfly 1
Baetis Blue-Winged Olive Mayfly 1
Pycnopsyche Great Autumn Brown Sedge Caddisfly 1
Hydrobaenus Midge 1
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 1
Cricotopus Non-Biting Midges 1
Cryptochironomus 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.