MBSS Site Summary for: MATT-101-X-2015


Located on TIMOTHY BRANCH in the Mattawoman Creek watershed, 8-digit code: 02140111.
This stream was visited in the spring on 4/8/2015 and again in the summer on 6/8/2015.

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 - 4.1 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
(Hint: Screen readers will announce definitions; mouse users can hover over dotted text.)
Catchment area 1,820 acres A highly channelized urban stream with concrete banks. An example of a highly channelized urban stream.
Urban Land Use 30.6 %
Agricultural Land Use 6.9 %
Forested Land Use 49.3 %


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 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 72 meters 		16/20 (Optimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 7 meters 		11/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 50 %
Embeddedness 90 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 90%. This is relatively high, and may exclude some biota.


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 6.84
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		467.5 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 5.4571 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 16 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Bluegill 109
Pumpkinseed 47
Redbreast Sunfish 42
Eastern Mudminnow 20
American Eel 14
Creek Chubsucker 11
Yellow Bullhead 11
Golden Shiner 6
Lepomis Hybrid 5
Tessellated Darter 5
Chain Pickerel 4
Eastern Mosquitofish 4
Sea Lamprey 3
Largemouth Bass 2
Margined Madtom 2
Least Brook Lamprey 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Northern Green Frog
Northern Water Snake

Crayfish:
Procambarus clarkii

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Barberry
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Mile-A-Minute
Multiflora Rose
Wineberry
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Ablabesmyia Non-Biting Midge 20
Polycentropus Tube Maker Caddisfly 11
Caecidotea Isopod 9
Sphaeromias 7
Dubiraphia Riffle Beetle 7
Phaenopsectra Non-Biting Midges 7
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 6
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 4
Campeloma 4
Cryptochironomus Non-Biting Midges 4
Orthocladiinae Midge 3
Crangonyx Amphipod 3
Caenis Mayfly 2
Labrundinia Non-Biting Midges 2
Nanocladius Non-Biting Midges 2
Paratanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 2
Rheocricotopus Non-Biting Midges 2
Enallagma Narrow-Winged Damselfly 2
Stempellinella Non-Biting Midges 2
Baetidae Small Minnow Mayfly 1
Rheotanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 1
Thienemannimyia Group Non-Biting Midges 1
Zavrelimyia Non-Biting Midges 1
Pisidiidae Pill Clam 1
Dicrotendipes Non-Biting Midges 1
Argia Narrow-Winged Damselfly 1
Cricotopus Non-Biting Midges 1
Paralauterborniella 1
Gammarus Amphipod 1
Tubificidae Aquatic Worm 1
Stenelmis Beetle 1
Bezzia Biting Midge 1
Chimarra Fingernet Caddisfly 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.