MBSS Site Summary for: MATT-309-A-2010

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site MATT-309-A-2010-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site MATT-309-A-2010-2 (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 4/17/2010 and again in the summer on 7/27/2010.

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 30,583 acres A highly channelized urban stream with concrete banks. An example of a highly channelized urban stream.
Urban Land Use 21 %
Agricultural Land Use 17.9 %
Forested Land Use 59 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 18/20 (Optimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 7/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 75 meters 		11/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 0 meters 		0/20 (Poor)
Shading 75 %
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) 7.12
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		289.8 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 6.3552 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 16 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Bluegill 193
American Eel 94
Eastern Mudminnow 36
Redbreast Sunfish 18
Creek Chubsucker 17
Pumpkinseed 15
Green Sunfish 14
Chain Pickerel 11
Largemouth Bass 10
White Sucker 10
Tessellated Darter 8
Eastern Mosquitofish 3
Redfin Pickerel 3
Yellow Bullhead 3
Sea Lamprey 2
Tadpole Madtom 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Eastern American Toad
Northern Green Frog
Pickerel Frog
Southern Leopard Frog
Wood Frog

Crayfish:
Procambarus clarkii

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Stiltgrass
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Caecidotea Isopod 23
Acentrella Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 14
Baetidae Small Minnow Mayfly 10
Dannella 10
Cladotanytarsus Non-Biting Midge 8
Cricotopus Non-Biting Midges 6
Plauditus Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 6
Crangonyctidae Scud 4
Tubificidae Aquatic Worm 3
Nanocladius Non-Biting Midges 2
Maccaffertium March Brown And Cahill Mayfly 2
Viviparidae Mystery Snail 2
Ablabesmyia Non-Biting Midge 2
Ancyronyx Spider Riffle Beetle 2
Hemerodromia Tiny Fly 1
Hydrophilidae Water Scavenger Beetle 1
Coenagrionidae Narrowwinged Damselfly 1
Phaenopsectra Non-Biting Midges 1
Hydrobiidae Pebble Snail 1
Labrundinia Non-Biting Midges 1
Corbicula Basket Clam 1
Stenelmis Beetle 1
Gomphidae Clubtail Dragonfly 1
Tipula Crane Fly 1
Stenochironomus European Non-Biting Midge 1
Phryganeidae Giant Casemaker Caddisfly 1
Physa Air-Breathing Freshwater Snail 1
Crangonyx Amphipod 1
Hyalella Amphipod 1
Synurella Amphipod 1
Spirosperma Aquatic Oligochaete 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.