MBSS Site Summary for: NASS-111-B-2007

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site NASS-111-B-2007-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site NASS-111-B-2007-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on Sturges Creek in the Nassawango Creek watershed, 8-digit code: 02130205.
This stream was visited in the spring on 4/26/2007 and again in the summer on 8/27/2007.

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 - 1.0 / 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 2,335 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 0 %
Agricultural Land Use 32.7 %
Forested Land Use 63.6 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 2/20 (Poor)
Epifaunal Substrate 3/20 (Poor)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 1/20 (Poor)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 10 meters 		3/20 (Poor)
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.
Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Poor' at this location.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 22.3 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 1.5 mg/L
Dissolved oxygen levels measured in the stream were very low (1.5 mg/L). Many fishes and other aquatic animals cannot tolerate low levels of oxygen in the water.
pH (lab) 6.27
Conductivity 239 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		151.5 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 16.7613 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 1 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
No Fish Observed 0
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Gray Treefrog
Northern Green Frog
Northern Spring Peeper

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
No Exotic Plants Observed
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Thienemannimyia group Non-Biting Midges 14
Pisidiidae Pill Clam 13
Rheosmittia Non-Biting Midges 13
Crangonyctidae Scud 11
Synurella Amphipod 9
Caecidotea Isopod 8
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 7
Crangonyx Amphipod 5
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 5
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 3
Triaenodes Long-Horned Caddisfly 3
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 2
Paratanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 2
Calopteryx Damselfly 2
Zavrelimyia Non-Biting Midges 2
Lumbriculidae Worm 2
Boyeria Spotted Darner Dragonfly 1
Polycentropodidae Trupetnet And Tubemaking Caddisfly 1
Ironoquia Northern Caddisfly 1
Leptophlebiidae Pronggilled Mayfly 1
Pycnopsyche Great Autumn Brown Sedge Caddisfly 1
Stegopterna Black Fly 1
Heteroplectron Caddisfly 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.