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

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site NASS-204-R-2007-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site NASS-204-R-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 7/9/2007.

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 - 5.0 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Good - 4.7 / 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 24,612 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 0.5 %
Agricultural Land Use 30.9 %
Forested Land Use 64 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 9/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 74 meters 		13/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 1 meters 		11/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 70 %
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 23.4 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 4.7 mg/L
Dissolved oxygen levels measured in the stream were very low (4.7 mg/L). Many fishes and other aquatic animals cannot tolerate low levels of oxygen in the water.
pH (lab) 6.19
Conductivity 68 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		158 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 19.7964 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 15 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
American Eel 87
Golden Shiner 44
Pirate Perch 22
Creek Chubsucker 21
Least Brook Lamprey 19
Margined Madtom 17
Yellow Perch 16
Eastern Mudminnow 12
Tadpole Madtom 8
Chain Pickerel 7
Pumpkinseed 6
Tessellated Darter 5
Redfin Pickerel 4
Redbreast Sunfish 2
Brown Bullhead 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Fowler's Toad
Northern Green Frog
Northern Spring Peeper
Southern Leopard Frog
Wood Frog

Crayfish:
Orconectes limosus
Procambarus acutus acutus

Exotic Plants:
No Exotic Plants Observed
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 21
Ablabesmyia Non-Biting Midge 13
Thienemannimyia group Non-Biting Midges 9
Eurylophella Mayfly 7
Tanypodinae Non-Biting Midges 7
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 6
Caecidotea Isopod 5
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 4
Pycnopsyche Great Autumn Brown Sedge Caddisfly 4
Palaemonetes 4
Synurella Amphipod 3
Musculium Fingernail Clam 3
Stenacron Mayfly 3
Leptophlebiidae Pronggilled Mayfly 3
Rheosmittia Non-Biting Midges 2
Perlesta 2
Hyalella Amphipod 2
Calamoceratidae Caddisfly 1
Calopteryx Damselfly 1
Belostoma 1
Tanytarsini Non-Biting Midges 1
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Chironomini Non-Biting Midge 1
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Macronychus Riffle Beetle 1
Boyeria Spotted Darner Dragonfly 1
Lumbriculidae Worm 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.