MBSS Site Summary for: MATT-308-A-2009

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site MATT-308-A-2009-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site MATT-308-A-2009-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on Mattawoman Creek 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 Poor - 2.3 / 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 29,223 acres A highly channelized urban stream with concrete banks. An example of a highly channelized urban stream.
Urban Land Use 21.4 %
Agricultural Land Use 18.1 %
Forested Land Use 58.4 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 1/20 (Poor)
Epifaunal Substrate 1/20 (Poor)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 1/20 (Poor)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 3 meters 		1/20 (Poor)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 0 meters 		0/20 (Poor)
Shading 80 %
Embeddedness 50 %
Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Poor' at this location.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 21.5 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 2.6 mg/L
Dissolved oxygen levels measured in the stream were very low (2.6 mg/L). Many fishes and other aquatic animals cannot tolerate low levels of oxygen in the water.
pH (lab) 6.91
Conductivity 134 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		213 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 5.1007 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 64
Green Sunfish 8
Bluegill 4
Yellow Bullhead 4
Tadpole Madtom 3
Tessellated Darter 3
Chain Pickerel 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Northern Green Frog

Crayfish:
Fallicambarus fodiens

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Stenelmis Beetle 23
Isoperla Stripetail Stonefly 14
Lumbriculidae Worm 11
Caecidotea Isopod 11
Physa Air-Breathing Freshwater Snail 9
Siphlonurus Gray Drake Mayfly 8
Hydrobaenus Midge 5
Simulium Black Fly 4
Neophylax Caddisfly 3
Strophopteryx Early Brown Stonefly 3
Ironoquia Northern Caddisfly 2
Limnephilidae Northern Casemaker Caddisfly 2
Ferrissia Small Air-Breathing Freshwater Limpets 2
Baetidae Small Minnow Mayfly 2
Ephemerellidae Spiny Crawler Mayfly 1
Pisidiidae Pill Clam 1
Cricotopus Non-Biting Midges 1
Thienemannimyia Group Non-Biting Midges 1
Eurylophella 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.