MBSS Site Summary for: MICR-202-R-2009

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site MICR-202-R-2009-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site MICR-202-R-2009-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on Morgan Creek in the Middle Chester River watershed, 8-digit code: 02130509.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/18/2009 and again in the summer on 6/24/2009.

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 Fair - 3.7 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Fair - 3.6 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 6,871 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 1.4 %
Agricultural Land Use 91.6 %
Forested Land Use 6.1 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 7/20 (Marginal)
Epifaunal Substrate 7/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 6/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 68 meters 		11/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 9 meters 		15/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 40 %
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 23.4 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 6.8 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.17
Conductivity 197 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		810 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 2.8765 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 11 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Satinfin Shiner 29
Pumpkinseed 20
American Eel 19
Eastern Mudminnow 16
Tessellated Darter 14
Redbreast Sunfish 8
Tadpole Madtom 5
Eastern Mosquitofish 4
Bluegill 1
Creek Chubsucker 1
Swallowtail Shiner 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

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

Crayfish:
Cambaridae
Orconectes limosus

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Mile-A-Minute
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 27
Cricotopus Non-Biting Midges 7
Maccaffertium March Brown And Cahill Mayfly 6
Gammarus Amphipod 6
Tubificidae Aquatic Worm 6
Prosimulium Black Fly 6
Simulium Black Fly 5
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 5
Stegopterna Black Fly 4
Rheocricotopus Non-Biting Midges 4
Thienemanniella Non-Biting Midges 4
Thienemannimyia Group Non-Biting Midges 4
Rheotanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 3
Orthocladiinae Midge 2
Pycnopsyche Great Autumn Brown Sedge Caddisfly 2
Micropsectra Non-Biting Midges 2
Paraphaenocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Paratanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 1
Cryptochironomus Non-Biting Midges 1
Calopteryx Damselfly 1
Stenochironomus European Non-Biting Midge 1
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Clinotanypus Non-Biting Midge 1
Corynoneura Non-Biting Midges 1
Macronychus Riffle Beetle 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.