MBSS Site Summary for: NASS-204-B-2007

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site NASS-204-B-2007-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site NASS-204-B-2007-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on Nassawango Creek in the Nassawango Creek watershed, 8-digit code: 02130205.
This stream was visited in the spring on 4/25/2007 and again in the summer on 8/8/2007.

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 Good - 4.0 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Good - 4.7 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 22,927 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 0.6 %
Agricultural Land Use 32.2 %
Forested Land Use 62.4 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 16/20 (Optimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 6/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 75 meters 		16/20 (Optimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 0 meters 		0/20 (Poor)
Shading 90 %
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 23.9 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 3.9 mg/L
Dissolved oxygen levels measured in the stream were very low (3.9 mg/L). Many fishes and other aquatic animals cannot tolerate low levels of oxygen in the water.
pH (lab) 6.22
Conductivity 85 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		165.6 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 20.205 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 17 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
American Eel 27
Pirate Perch 19
Margined Madtom 18
Golden Shiner 15
Eastern Mudminnow 13
Yellow Perch 13
Tessellated Darter 10
Redfin Pickerel 7
Creek Chubsucker 6
Pumpkinseed 6
Tadpole Madtom 5
Chain Pickerel 4
Yellow Bullhead 2
Bluegill 1
Brown Bullhead 1
Least Brook Lamprey 1
White Crappie 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Fowler's Toad
Gray Treefrog
Northern Green Frog
Southern Leopard Frog

Crayfish:
Orconectes limosus

Exotic Plants:
No Exotic Plants Observed
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Ablabesmyia Non-Biting Midge 14
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 10
Heptageniidae Flathead Mayfly 8
Caecidotea Isopod 7
Triaenodes Long-Horned Caddisfly 6
Palaemonetes 6
Thienemannimyia group Non-Biting Midges 5
Tribelos Non-Biting Midges 4
Chironomidae Non-Biting Midge 4
Tubificidae Aquatic Worm 4
Eurylophella Mayfly 3
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 3
Hyalella Amphipod 2
Ceratopogonidae Biting Midge 2
Perlesta 2
Cricotopus Non-Biting Midges 2
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 2
Pisidiidae Pill Clam 2
Limnodrilus Worm 2
Lumbriculidae Worm 1
Leptophlebiidae Pronggilled Mayfly 1
Amphipoda Scud 1
Procladius Non-Biting Midge 1
Hydrobiidae Pebble Snail 1
Placobdella 1
Crangonyx Amphipod 1
Simulium Black Fly 1
Calopteryx Damselfly 1
Enchytraeidae Aquatic Worm 1
Pycnopsyche Great Autumn Brown Sedge Caddisfly 1
Stenacron Mayfly 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.