MBSS Site Summary for: NANT-107-R-2015

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site NANT-107-R-2015_Midpoint-looking-downstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site NANT-107-R-2015_Midpoint-looking-upstream (Opens in a new window)

Located on REWASTICO CREEK in the Nanticoke River watershed, 8-digit code: 02130305.
This stream was visited in the spring on 4/7/2015 and again in the summer on 8/25/2015.

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 Good - 4.1 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 5,888 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 9.1 %
Agricultural Land Use 59.1 %
Forested Land Use 26.1 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 10/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 6/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 75 meters 		13/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 0 meters 		0/20 (Poor)
Shading 95 %
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:
pH (lab) 6.98
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		360.3 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 4.2361 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 8 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
American Eel 72
Bluegill 61
Yellow Bullhead 19
Eastern Mudminnow 8
Chain Pickerel 3
Least Brook Lamprey 3
Pumpkinseed 2
Largemouth Bass 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Northern Green Frog

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Stiltgrass
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Rheotanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 34
Maccaffertium March Brown And Cahill Mayfly 32
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 8
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 6
Orthocladiinae Midge 5
Rheocricotopus Non-Biting Midges 5
Crangonyx Amphipod 3
Neoporous Predaceous Diving Beetle 3
Macronychus Riffle Beetle 3
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 2
Labrundinia Non-Biting Midges 1
Bezzia Biting Midge 1
Simulium Black Fly 1
Stegopterna Black Fly 1
Pycnopsyche Great Autumn Brown Sedge Caddisfly 1
Triaenodes Long-Horned Caddisfly 1
Microcylloepus Riffle Beetle 1
Thienemannimyia Group Non-Biting Midges 1
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 1
Tanytarsini 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.