MBSS Site Summary for: MATT-033-S-2013

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site MATT-033-S-2013-MidpointPdownstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site MATT-033-S-2013-MidpointPupstream (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 3/21/2013 and again in the summer on 7/29/2013.

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 Fair - 3.6 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 40,503 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 17/20 (Optimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 7/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 72 meters 		18/20 (Optimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 0 meters 		0/20 (Poor)
Shading 65 %
Embeddedness 70 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 70%. This is relatively high, and may exclude some biota.


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 6.86
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		181.5 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 3.196 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 18 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Tessellated Darter 204
Bluegill 101
Pumpkinseed 42
Eastern Mudminnow 41
White Sucker 38
Black Crappie 20
American Eel 12
Largemouth Bass 11
American Shad 6
Yellow Bullhead 6
Golden Shiner 4
Rosyside Dace 4
Chain Pickerel 3
Creek Chubsucker 3
Eastern Mosquitofish 3
Spottail Shiner 2
Brown Bullhead 1
Tadpole Madtom 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Eastern American Toad
Eastern Box Turtle
Eastern Cricket Frog
Northern Green Frog
Southern Leopard Frog
Spotted Salamander

Crayfish:
Cambarus diogenes
Procambarus clarkii

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Multiflora Rose
Oriental Bittersweet
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Isoperla Stripetail Stonefly 42
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 38
Strophopteryx Early Brown Stonefly 11
Orthocladiinae Midge 8
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 6
Caecidotea Isopod 4
Perlesta 4
Siphlonurus Gray Drake Mayfly 3
Smittia European Non-Biting Midge 1
Rhyacophila Free-Living Caddisfly 1
Leuctra  Rolled-Winged Stonefly 1
Prosimulium Black Fly 1
Ameletus Combmouthed Minnow Mayfly 1
LIMNEPHILIDAE Northern Casemaker Caddisfly 1
NEMOURIDAE Nemourid Stonefly 1
Taeniopteryx Winter Stonefly 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.