MBSS Site Summary for: MICR-202-R-2016

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site MICR-202-R-2016_Midpoint looking downstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site MICR-202-R-2016_Midpoint looking upstream (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 3/24/2016 and again in the summer on 8/9/2016.

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 - 3.3 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Poor - 2.7 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 2,064 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 6.1 %
Agricultural Land Use 85.8 %
Forested Land Use 2.3 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 61 meters 		14/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 14 meters 		12/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 80 %
Embeddedness 40 %


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 7.85
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		2151.6 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 4.6254 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 10 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Bluegill 171
Green Sunfish 145
Golden Shiner 30
Eastern Mosquitofish 26
American Eel 24
Pumpkinseed 19
Eastern Mudminnow 14
Tessellated Darter 13
Brown Bullhead 10
Tadpole Madtom 6
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Cope's Gray Treefrog
Eastern Snapping Turtle
Northern Green Frog
Northern Two-Lined Salamander
Southern Leopard Frog

Crayfish:
Orconectes limosus

Exotic Plants:
Autumn Olive
Common Reed (Phragmites)
Garlic Mustard
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 30
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 29
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 22
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 18
Gammarus Amphipod 12
Stenelmis Beetle 6
Rheotanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 3
Cricotopus Non-Biting Midges 3
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 3
Tubificidae Aquatic Worm 2
Simulium Black Fly 2
Sphaerium Fingernail Clam 2
Glossiphoniidae Leech 1
Oecetis Long-Horned Caddisfly 1
Argia Narrow-Winged Damselfly 1
Lype Net Tube Caddisfly 1
Bezzia Biting Midge 1
Prosimulium Black Fly 1
Thienemannimyia Group Non-Biting Midges 1
Brillia Non-Biting Midges 1
Nanocladius 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.