MBSS Site Summary for: MATT-102-A-2009

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site MATT-102-A-2009-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site MATT-102-A-2009-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on Old Womans Creeks in the Mattawoman Creek watershed, 8-digit code: 02140111.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/31/2009 and again in the summer on 7/21/2009.

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 - 4.0 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Good - 4.7 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 2,660 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 11.8 %
Agricultural Land Use 24.1 %
Forested Land Use 63.2 %


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 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 71 meters
15/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 15 meters
9/20 (Marginal)
Shading 75 %
Embeddedness 30 %


Stream Water Quality:

Water temperature 19.9 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 6.5 mg/L
pH (lab) 6.51
Conductivity 117 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity)
122.5 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 2.968 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
Blacknose Dace 274
Creek Chub 31
Creek Chubsucker 25
Green Sunfish 24
American Eel 19
Eastern Mudminnow 18
Tessellated Darter 8
Rosyside Dace 3
Sea Lamprey 2
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:

Eastern American Toad
Northern Green Frog
Northern Two-Lined Salamander
Southern Leopard Frog
Upland Chorus Frog

Crayfish:

Orconectes limosus

Exotic Plants:

Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:

Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 50
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 12
Isoperla Stripetail Stonefly 9
Limnephilidae Northern Casemaker Caddisfly 7
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 5
Ephemerellidae Spiny Crawler Mayfly 5
Siphlonurus Gray Drake Mayfly 3
Haploperla Green Stonefly 2
Prosimulium Black Fly 2
Neophylax Caddisfly 2
Ameletus Combmouthed Minnow Mayfly 2
Nemouridae Nemourid Stonefly 2
Dubiraphia Riffle Beetle 2
Oulimnius Riffle Beetle 2
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 2
Synurella Amphipod 1
Acerpenna Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 1
Oemopteryx Stonefly 1
Chaetocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 1
Clioperla Green-Winged 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.