MBSS Site Summary for: NASS-302-S-2011

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site NASS-302-S-2011-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site NASS-302-S-2011-2 (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 3/9/2011 and again in the summer on 6/30/2011.

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 - 4.3 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Fair - 3.6 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 19,606 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 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 12/20 (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 80 %
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:
pH (lab) 6.115
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		97.5 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 12.4279 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 12 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
American Eel 39
Bluegill 20
Creek Chubsucker 17
Eastern Mudminnow 17
Chain Pickerel 11
Pirate Perch 11
Tadpole Madtom 10
Golden Shiner 9
Pumpkinseed 7
Redfin Pickerel 6
Brown Bullhead 3
Yellow Bullhead 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Cope's Gray Treefrog
New Jersey Chorus Frog
Northern Green Frog

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Stiltgrass
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 53
Neoporous Predaceous Diving Beetle 15
Larsia Non-Biting Midge 3
Gammarus Amphipod 3
Bezzia Biting Midge 3
Prostoma Freshwater Nemertean (Ribbon Worm) 3
Orthocladiinae Midge 3
Ablabesmyia Non-Biting Midge 2
Chironomini Non-Biting Midge 2
Dicrotendipes Non-Biting Midges 2
Limnephilus 1
Psectrocladius Non-Biting Midge 1
Unniella Non-Biting Midge 1
Paraphaenocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Potthastia Non-Biting Midges 1
Stempellinella Non-Biting Midges 1
Tanypodinae Non-Biting Midges 1
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 1
HYDROBIIDAE Pebble Snail 1
Argia Narrow-Winged Damselfly 1
Parakiefferiella European Non-Biting Midge 1
Stenelmis Beetle 1
LEPTOPHLEBIIDAE Pronggilled Mayfly 1
Dubiraphia Riffle Beetle 1
Polycentropus Tube Maker 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.