MBSS Site Summary for: MATT-117-A-2011

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site MATT-117-A-2011-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site MATT-117-A-2011-2 (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 3/15/2011 and again in the summer on 6/21/2011.

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 - 3.0 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Poor - 2.4 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 131 acres A highly channelized urban stream with concrete banks. An example of a highly channelized urban stream.
Urban Land Use 0 %
Agricultural Land Use 0 %
Forested Land Use 69.8 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 4/20 (Poor)
Epifaunal Substrate 2/20 (Poor)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 4/20 (Poor)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 72 meters 		7/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 3 meters 		3/20 (Poor)
Shading 85 %
Embeddedness 90 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 90%. This is relatively high, and may exclude some biota.
Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Poor' at this location.


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 5.415
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		70.5 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.7222 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
Eastern Mudminnow 8
Blacknose Dace 6
Least Brook Lamprey 2
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Eastern Box Turtle
Northern Green Frog
Northern Water Snake

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
No Exotic Plants Observed
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Micropsectra Non-Biting Midges 30
Tanypodinae Non-Biting Midges 27
Rheocricotopus Non-Biting Midges 11
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 9
Heterotrissocladius European Non-Biting Midge 9
Apsectrotanypus Non-Biting Midges 4
Corynoneura Non-Biting Midges 4
Synurella Amphipod 4
Natarsia Non-Biting Midges 4
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 4
Orthocladiinae Midge 2
TANYTARSINI Non-Biting Midges 2
Pseudolimnophila Crane Fly 2
Ptychoptera 1
Bezzia Biting Midge 1
Stegopterna Black Fly 1
Pycnopsyche Great Autumn Brown Sedge Caddisfly 1
Thienemannimyia Group Non-Biting Midges 1
Zavrelimyia Non-Biting Midges 1
Cordulegaster Spiketail Dragonfly 1
Phaenopsectra Non-Biting Midges 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.