MBSS Site Summary for: NASS-302-S-2003


Located on NASSAWANGO CR in the Nassawango Creek watershed, 8-digit code: 02130205.
This stream was visited in the spring on 4/3/2003 and again in the summer on 8/27/2003.

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 - 4.7 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Good - 4.4 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 19,604 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 0.7 %
Agricultural Land Use 32.7 %
Forested Land Use 61.6 %


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 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 8/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 75 meters 		17/20 (Optimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 0 meters 		0/20 (Poor)
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 21.5 ° 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) 5.87
Conductivity 74 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		92.2 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 19.3 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 16 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Golden Shiner 96
American Eel 52
Creek Chubsucker 35
Pirate Perch 35
Redfin Pickerel 34
Chain Pickerel 10
Eastern Mudminnow 9
Pumpkinseed 9
Yellow Perch 7
Redbreast Sunfish 6
Least Brook Lamprey 5
Bluegill 3
Black Crappie 1
Brown Bullhead 1
Largemouth Bass 1
Margined Madtom 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Eastern Snapping Turtle
Pickerel Frog
Stinkpot

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
No exotic plants noted.
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Simulium Black Fly 35
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 17
Leptophlebiidae Pronggilled Mayfly 16
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 9
Caecidotea Isopod 6
Thienemannimyia group Non-Biting Midges 6
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 5
Rheocricotopus Non-Biting Midges 5
Paraphaenocladius Non-Biting Midges 3
Ironoquia Northern Caddisfly 3
Leptophlebia Pronggilled Mayfly 2
Tanypodinae Non-Biting Midges 2
Pycnopsyche Great Autumn Brown Sedge Caddisfly 2
Ablabesmyia Non-Biting Midge 2
Orthocladiinae Midge 2
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Eurylophella Mayfly 1
Cura Flatworm 1
Tubificidae Aquatic Worm 1
Ceratopogonidae Biting Midge 1
Phaenopsectra Non-Biting Midges 1
Polypedilum 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.