MBSS Site Summary for: MICR-106-R-2003

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site MICR-106-R-2003-0959 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site MICR-106-R-2003-0960 (Opens in a new window)

Located on MORGAN CR UT5 in the Middle Chester River watershed, 8-digit code: 02130509.
This stream was visited in the spring on 4/1/2003 and again in the summer on 6/24/2003.

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 - 2.0 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Fair - 3.0 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 347 acres Cows standing in a stream at a site with high agricultural land use. Cows survey the sampling procedure at this extreme example of a highly agriculturalized site.
Urban Land Use 1 %
Agricultural Land Use 97 %
Forested Land Use 2 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 8/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 75 meters 		11/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 5 meters 		10/20 (Marginal)
Shading 85 %
Embeddedness 100 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 100%. This is very high, and may adversely affect biotic communities.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 16 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 5.5 mg/L
pH (lab) 6.22
Conductivity 165 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		287.8 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.4 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 4 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Eastern Mudminnow 368
American Eel 2
Creek Chubsucker 2
Pumpkinseed 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Northern Green Frog
Northern Two-Lined Salamander

Crayfish:
Cambaridae

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Stiltgrass
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Caecidotea Isopod 20
Apsectrotanypus Non-Biting Midges 12
Pisidium Freshwater Pea (Pill) Clam 11
Tipulidae Cranefly 11
Thienemannimyia group Non-Biting Midges 8
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 6
Clinotanypus Non-Biting Midge 6
Synurella Amphipod 4
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 4
Rheocricotopus Non-Biting Midges 3
Tanypodinae Non-Biting Midges 3
Tanytarsini Non-Biting Midges 3
Tubificidae Aquatic Worm 3
Stegopterna Black Fly 3
Procladius Non-Biting Midge 3
Physa Air-Breathing Freshwater Snail 3
Bittacomorpha 2
Ischnura 2
Molannodes 2
Conchapelopia Non-Biting Midges 2
Lumbriculidae Worm 2
Paraphaenocladius Non-Biting Midges 2
Paratanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 1
Phaenopsectra Non-Biting Midges 1
Amphipoda Scud 1
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 1
Chaetocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Stagnicola Air Breathing Freshwater Snail 1
Metriocnemus 1
Prostoma Freshwater Nemertean (Ribbon Worm) 1
Dolichopodidae Long-Legged Fly 1
Orthocladiinae Midge 1
Coenagrionidae Narrowwinged Damselfly 1
Chironominae Non-Biting Midge 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.