MBSS Site Summary for: MATT-105-R-2014

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site MATT-105-R-2014-MidpointDownstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site MATT-105-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 4/23/2014 and again in the summer on 7/30/2014.

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 Good - 4.0 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Fair - 3.9 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 885 acres A highly channelized urban stream with concrete banks. An example of a highly channelized urban stream.
Urban Land Use 5.7 %
Agricultural Land Use 5.5 %
Forested Land Use 74.3 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat

Instream Habitat 9/20 (Marginal)
Epifaunal Substrate 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 8/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 65 meters
15/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 12 meters
3/20 (Poor)
Shading 50 %
Embeddedness 50 %


Stream Water Quality:

pH (lab) 5.89
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity)
43.1 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 3.8501 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 7 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Eastern Mudminnow 46
Creek Chubsucker 30
Redfin Pickerel 5
American Eel 2
Green Sunfish 2
Lepomis Hybrid 1
Tessellated Darter 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:

American Bullfrog
Common Five-Lined Skink
Eastern American Toad
Eastern Box Turtle
Fowler's Toad
Northern Green Frog
Southern Leopard Frog

Crayfish:

Cambarus diogenes

Exotic Plants:

Japanese Barberry
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Multiflora Rose
Oriental Bittersweet
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:

Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 60
Simulium Black Fly 34
Leuctra  Rolled-Winged Stonefly 4
Thienemannimyia Group Non-Biting Midges 4
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 3
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 3
Prosimulium Black Fly 2
Tipula Crane Fly 2
Prostoma Freshwater Nemertean (Ribbon Worm) 2
Eurylophella Mayfly 1
Orthocladiinae Midge 1
Calopteryx Damselfly 1
Rhyacophila Free-Living Caddisfly 1
Stegopterna Black Fly 1
Perlidae Common Stonefly 1
Stempellinella Non-Biting Midges 1
Ironoquia Northern Caddisfly 1
Leptophlebiidae Pronggilled 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.