MBSS Site Summary for: MATT-033-S-2004

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site MATT-033-S-2004-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site MATT-033-S-2004-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on MATTAWOMAN CR in the Mattawoman Creek watershed, 8-digit code: 02140111.
This stream was visited in the spring on 4/27/2004 and again in the summer on 7/10/2004.

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 Good - 4.7 / 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 40,511 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 17.5 %
Agricultural Land Use 18.4 %
Forested Land Use 62.4 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 16/20 (Optimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 16/20 (Optimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 65 meters 		16/20 (Optimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 15 meters 		15/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 85 %
Embeddedness 15 %
Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Optimal' at this location.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 20.5 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 7.4 mg/L
pH (lab) 6.95
Conductivity 116 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		250.5 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 7.8 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 17 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Tessellated Darter 125
Pumpkinseed 58
Spottail Shiner 54
Alewife 39
Brown Bullhead 36
Bluegill 27
Tadpole Madtom 24
American Eel 18
Eastern Mudminnow 11
Chain Pickerel 6
White Sucker 5
Eastern Mosquitofish 3
Yellow Bullhead 3
Creek Chubsucker 2
Sea Lamprey 2
Green Sunfish 1
Striped Bass 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Common Five-Lined Skink
Eastern Box Turtle
Eastern Ratsnake
Northern Black Racer
Northern Spring Peeper
Upland Chorus Frog

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Simulium Black Fly 29
Timpanoga 16
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 15
Perlesta 14
Isoperla Stripetail Stonefly 14
Stenelmis Beetle 10
Acentrella Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 8
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 5
Hemerodromia Tiny Fly 3
Lumbriculidae Worm 2
Acerpenna Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 2
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 2
Caecidotea Isopod 2
Chimarra Fingernet Caddisfly 2
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 1
Nanocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 1
Triaenodes Long-Horned Caddisfly 1
Leucrocuta 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.