MBSS Site Summary for: MATT-033-S-2016

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site MATT-033-S-2016-MidpointPDownstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site MATT-033-S-2016-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 3/30/2016 and again in the summer on 8/2/2016.

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 Good - 4.4 / 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 16/20 (Optimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 65 meters 		17/20 (Optimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 14 meters 		14/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 60 %
Embeddedness 35 %


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 7.16
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		318.9 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 5.6199 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 13 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Bluegill 55
Yellow Perch 29
Brown Bullhead 21
Tessellated Darter 11
American Eel 8
Chain Pickerel 8
Largemouth Bass 6
Eastern Mudminnow 4
Yellow Bullhead 4
Green Sunfish 2
Pumpkinseed 2
Redbreast Sunfish 1
Tadpole Madtom 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Cope's Gray Treefrog
Eastern Painted Turtle
Northern Green Frog
Pickerel Frog

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Stiltgrass
Multiflora Rose
Wisteria
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Plauditus Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 33
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 18
Isoperla Stripetail Stonefly 17
Stenelmis Beetle 8
Strophopteryx Early Brown Stonefly 5
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 5
Perlesta 4
Perlodidae Perlodid Stonefly 3
Ironoquia Northern Caddisfly 2
Perlidae Common Stonefly 2
Simulium Black Fly 2
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 2
Orthocladiinae Midge 2
Ablabesmyia Non-Biting Midge 1
Micropsectra Non-Biting Midges 1
Nanocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Rheocricotopus Non-Biting Midges 1
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 1
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 1
Ameletus Combmouthed Minnow Mayfly 1
Probezzia Biting Midges 1
Prostoma Freshwater Nemertean (Ribbon Worm) 1
Ceraclea Scaly-Winged Sedge Caddisfly 1
Prostoia Spring 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.