MBSS Site Summary for: MATT-033-S-2007

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site MATT-033-S-2007-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site MATT-033-S-2007-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on Mattawoman Creek in the Mattawoman Creek watershed, 8-digit code: 02140111.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/26/2007 and again in the summer on 7/10/2007.

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 Poor - 2.7 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Good - 5.0 / 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 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 10/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 35 meters 		17/20 (Optimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 0 meters 		0/20 (Poor)
Shading 88 %
Embeddedness 40 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 23.1 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 3.7 mg/L
Dissolved oxygen levels measured in the stream were very low (3.7 mg/L). Many fishes and other aquatic animals cannot tolerate low levels of oxygen in the water.
pH (lab) 6.87
Conductivity 137 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		163.3 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 4.775 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
Tessellated Darter 48
Eastern Mudminnow 12
Bluegill 7
Brown Bullhead 5
Chain Pickerel 4
American Eel 3
Pumpkinseed 3
Yellow Bullhead 3
Tadpole Madtom 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Common Five-Lined Skink
Eastern Box Turtle
Northern Green Frog

Crayfish:
Orconectes
Orconectes limosus
Procambarus clarkii

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Isoperla Stripetail Stonefly 44
Stenelmis Beetle 33
Eurylophella Mayfly 5
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 4
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 3
Acerpenna Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 3
Lumbriculidae Worm 3
Rheosmittia Non-Biting Midges 2
Stempellinella Non-Biting Midges 2
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 2
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 2
Oemopteryx Stonefly 1
Centroptilum Small Minnow Mayfly 1
Rhyacophila Free-Living Caddisfly 1
Triaenodes Long-Horned Caddisfly 1
Leucrocuta Mayfly 1
Labrundinia Non-Biting Midges 1
Nanocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Ameletus Combmouthed Minnow Mayfly 1
Calopteryx Damselfly 1
Corduliidae Emerald Dragonfly 1
Ephemerella Sulphur 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.