MBSS Site Summary for: MATT-104-R-2014

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site MATT-104-R-2014-MidpointDownstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site MATT-104-R-2014-MidpointUpstream (Opens in a new window)

Located on MATTAWOMAN CREEK UT in the Mattawoman Creek watershed, 8-digit code: 02140111.
This stream was visited in the spring on 4/2/2014 and again in the summer on 6/24/2014.

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 Poor - 1.7 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Good - 4.4 / 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 805 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 14.6 %
Agricultural Land Use 16.1 %
Forested Land Use 61.5 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 7/20 (Marginal)
Epifaunal Substrate 8/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 9/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 52 meters 		8/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 29 meters 		7/20 (Marginal)
Shading 55 %
Embeddedness 80 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 80%. This is relatively high, and may exclude some biota.


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 6.55
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		109.8 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 2.3196 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 3 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blacknose Dace 148
Rosyside Dace 2
Creek Chub 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Northern Green Frog
Northern Spring Peeper
Pickerel Frog

Crayfish:
Cambarus
Cambarus bartonii bartonii
Cambarus diogenes

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Barberry
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Multiflora Rose
Oriental Bittersweet
Wineberry
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 19
Prosimulium Black Fly 15
Perlodidae Perlodid Stonefly 13
Limnephilidae Northern Casemaker Caddisfly 8
Ameletus Combmouthed Minnow Mayfly 6
Tipula Crane Fly 6
Ostrocerca Stonefly 6
Ironoquia Northern Caddisfly 5
Synurella Amphipod 5
Prostoia Spring Stonefly 4
Leptophlebiidae Pronggilled Mayfly 4
Leuctridae Rolledwinged Stonefly 3
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 3
Leptophlebia Pronggilled Mayfly 2
Hydrobaenus Midge 2
Nemouridae Nemourid Stonefly 2
Diplectrona Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Parachaetocladius Non-Biting Midge 1
Rhyacophila Free-Living Caddisfly 1
Siphlonurus Gray Drake Mayfly 1
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 1
Enchytraeidae Aquatic Worm 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.