MBSS Site Summary for: NANT-104-R-2007

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site NANT-104-R-2007-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site NANT-104-R-2007-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on Chicone Creek UT1 in the Nanticoke River watershed, 8-digit code: 02130305.
This stream was visited in the spring on 4/19/2007 and again in the summer on 8/2/2007.

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 - 1.3 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Poor - 2.1 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 389 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 0.9 %
Agricultural Land Use 34.9 %
Forested Land Use 63.9 %


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 4/20 (Poor)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 3/20 (Poor)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 67 meters 		8/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 8 meters 		6/20 (Marginal)
Shading 95 %
Embeddedness 40 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 16.8 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 0.9 mg/L
Dissolved oxygen levels measured in the stream were very low (0.9 mg/L). Many fishes and other aquatic animals cannot tolerate low levels of oxygen in the water.
pH (lab) 5.19
Conductivity 283 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		23.9 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 19.424 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 2 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Eastern Mudminnow 23
American Eel 2
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Northern Green Frog
Northern Spring Peeper
Southern Leopard Frog

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Honeysuckle
Multiflora Rose
Oriental Bittersweet
Wisteria
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Asellidae Aquatic Sow Bug 51
Synurella Amphipod 46
Thienemannimyia group Non-Biting Midges 4
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 3
Corduliidae Emerald Dragonfly 2
Hydrobaenus Midge 1
Clinotanypus Non-Biting Midge 1
Chaetocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Diplocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Paraphaenocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Rheocricotopus Non-Biting Midges 1
Tanypodinae Non-Biting Midges 1
Zavrelimyia Non-Biting Midges 1
Lumbriculidae 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.