MBSS Site Summary for: NANT-104-R-2016

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site NANT-104-R-2016_midpoint looking downstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site NANT-104-R-2016_midpoint looking upstream (Opens in a new window)

Located on UT to Chincone Creek in the Nanticoke River watershed, 8-digit code: 02130305.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/15/2016 and again in the summer on 8/10/2016.

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 N R
Benthic IBI Poor - 2.4 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 97 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 4.8 %
Agricultural Land Use 57.5 %
Forested Land Use 22.3 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 0/20 (Poor)
Epifaunal Substrate 0/20 (Poor)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 1/20 (Poor)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 0 meters 		1/20 (Poor)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 0 meters 		0/20 (Poor)
Shading 50 %
Embeddedness 100 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 100%. This is very high, and may adversely affect biotic communities.
Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Poor' at this location.


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 6.38
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		471.7 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 15.213 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:
Fish data is unavailable or no fish observed.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Eastern Red Spotted Newt
Fowler's Toad
New Jersey Chorus Frog
Northern Green Frog
Pickerel Frog
Southern Leopard Frog

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
No Exotic Plants Observed
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Lumbriculidae Worm 57
Tubificidae Aquatic Worm 16
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 13
Physa Air-Breathing Freshwater Snail 12
Caecidotea Isopod 11
Menetus Air Breathing Freshwater Snail 4
Musculium Fingernail Clam 3
Cura Flatworm 3
Ironoquia Northern Caddisfly 3
Agabus Predatory Aquatic Beetle 3
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 2
Psectrotanypus Non-Biting Midge 2
Pseudosuccinea Air Breathing Freshwater Snail 2
Belostoma 1
Parachironomus 1
Crangonyx Amphipod 1
Synurella Amphipod 1
Ceratopogonidae Biting Midge 1
Peltodytes Crawling Water Beetle 1
Ferrissia Small Air-Breathing Freshwater Limpets 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.