MBSS Site Summary for: NANT-110-R-2002


Located on REWASTICO CR in the Nanticoke River watershed, 8-digit code: 02130305.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/14/2002 and again in the summer on 6/17/2002.

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 Good - 4.3 / 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 2,257 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 5 %
Agricultural Land Use 79 %
Forested Land Use 16 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 6/20 (Marginal)
Epifaunal Substrate 5/20 (Poor)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 5/20 (Poor)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 70 meters 		8/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 10 meters 		11/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 85 %
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 16.6 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 8.3 mg/L
pH (lab) 6.68
Conductivity 190 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		332.7 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.5 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 6 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Eastern Mudminnow 81
American Eel 48
Least Brook Lamprey 36
Bluegill 18
Pumpkinseed 17
Pirate Perch 7
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Honeysuckle
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Gammarus Amphipod 65
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 10
Paramerina Non-Biting Midge 5
Stempellinella Non-Biting Midges 4
Leptophlebia Pronggilled Mayfly 3
Heteroplectron Caddisfly 3
Calopteryx Damselfly 2
Caecidotea Isopod 2
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 2
Nanocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Physa Air-Breathing Freshwater Snail 1
Sialis Alderfly 1
Apsectrotanypus Non-Biting Midges 1
Conchapelopia Non-Biting Midges 1
Corynoneura Non-Biting Midges 1
Xylotopus Midge 1
Enallagma Narrow-Winged Damselfly 1
Lype Net Tube Caddisfly 1
Pycnopsyche Great Autumn Brown Sedge Caddisfly 1
Boyeria Spotted Darner Dragonfly 1
Hydroporus Water Beetle 1
Dineutus Whirlygig Beetle 1
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 1
Rheosmittia 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.