MBSS Site Summary for: NANT-111-R-2016

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site NANT-111-R-2016_midpoint looking downstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site NANT-111-R-2016_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 4/18/2016 and again in the summer on 8/29/2016.

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 Poor - 2.0 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Poor - 2.4 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
(Hint: Screen readers will announce definitions; mouse users can hover over dotted text.)
Catchment area 1,152 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 %
Agricultural Land Use 72.8 %
Forested Land Use 14.1 %


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 6/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 74 meters 		8/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 1 meters 		7/20 (Marginal)
Shading 80 %
Embeddedness 50 %


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 6.34
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		368.4 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 2.3216 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 53
Chain Pickerel 9
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

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

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
English Ivy
Japanese Knotweed
Multiflora Rose
Privet
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Caecidotea Isopod 64
Crangonyx Amphipod 38
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 6
Neoporous Predaceous Diving Beetle 4
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 3
Orthocladiinae Midge 3
Thienemannimyia Group Non-Biting Midges 2
Corynoneura Non-Biting Midges 2
Physa Air-Breathing Freshwater Snail 1
Rheotanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 1
Stempellinella Non-Biting Midges 1
Zavrelimyia Non-Biting Midges 1
Ironoquia Northern Caddisfly 1
Paramerina Non-Biting Midge 1
Psectrotanypus Non-Biting Midge 1
Chironomus Non-Biting Midges 1
Naididae Aquatic Worm 1
Simulium Black Fly 1
Musculium Fingernail Clam 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.