MBSS Site Summary for: MATT-033-S-2015


Located on MATTAWOMAN CREEK in the Mattawoman Creek watershed, 8-digit code: 02140111.
This stream was visited in the spring on 4/9/2015 and again in the summer on 8/18/2015.

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 - 5.0 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 40,503 acres A highly channelized urban stream with concrete banks. An example of a highly channelized urban stream.
Urban Land Use 29.5 %
Agricultural Land Use 8.4 %
Forested Land Use 56.3 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 7/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 65 meters 		15/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 0 meters 		0/20 (Poor)
Shading 25 %
Embeddedness 40 %


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 6.95
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		274.1 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 6.5604 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
Bluegill 182
Sea Lamprey 88
Brown Bullhead 61
Tessellated Darter 21
Largemouth Bass 20
Yellow Bullhead 13
American Eel 11
Pumpkinseed 10
Chain Pickerel 9
Tadpole Madtom 8
Eastern Mudminnow 7
White Sucker 6
Yellow Perch 3
Creek Chubsucker 2
Green Sunfish 2
Channel Catfish 1
Eastern Mosquitofish 1
Least Brook Lamprey 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Eastern Snapping Turtle
Fowler's Toad
Northern Green Frog
Northern Spring Peeper

Crayfish:
Procambarus clarkii

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Ironoquia Northern Caddisfly 23
Isoperla Stripetail Stonefly 12
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 11
Siphlonurus Gray Drake Mayfly 9
Strophopteryx Early Brown Stonefly 8
Stempellinella Non-Biting Midges 8
Thienemannimyia Group Non-Biting Midges 5
Stenelmis Beetle 5
Eurylophella Mayfly 5
Physa Air-Breathing Freshwater Snail 4
Rhyacophila Free-Living Caddisfly 3
Simulium Black Fly 2
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 2
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 2
Ablabesmyia Non-Biting Midge 2
Ostrocerca Stonefly 2
Acerpenna Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 2
Tropisternus Water Scavenger Beetle 1
Dicrotendipes Non-Biting Midges 1
Aeshna Mosaic Darner Dragonflies 1
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Ameletus Combmouthed Minnow Mayfly 1
Somatochlora 1
Leuctra  Rolled-Winged Stonefly 1
Caecidotea Isopod 1
Caenis 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.