MBSS Site Summary for: NASS-302-S-2014

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site NASS-302-S-2014-MidpointDownstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site NASS-302-S-2014-MidpointUpstream (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 3/11/2014 and again in the summer on 7/15/2014.

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.
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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 4.9 %
Agricultural Land Use 21.9 %
Forested Land Use 63.8 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 9/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 75 meters 		19/20 (Optimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 0 meters 		0/20 (Poor)
Shading 50 %
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) 6.3
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		128.4 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 10.8284 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 13 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Pirate Perch 113
Redfin Pickerel 71
Golden Shiner 59
Creek Chubsucker 54
Tadpole Madtom 51
American Eel 44
Eastern Mudminnow 20
Brown Bullhead 9
Tessellated Darter 9
Yellow Bullhead 6
Bluegill 4
Chain Pickerel 4
Pumpkinseed 4
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Northern Green Frog
Northern Spring Peeper
Southern Leopard Frog

Crayfish:
Procambarus acutus acutus

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Stiltgrass
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Leptophlebia Pronggilled Mayfly 49
Stegopterna Black Fly 23
Tribelos Non-Biting Midges 7
Triaenodes Long-Horned Caddisfly 4
Maccaffertium March Brown And Cahill Mayfly 3
Stenochironomus European Non-Biting Midge 3
Caecidotea Isopod 3
Pycnopsyche Great Autumn Brown Sedge Caddisfly 2
Ablabesmyia Non-Biting Midge 2
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 2
Thienemannimyia Group Non-Biting Midges 2
Taeniopteryx Winter Stonefly 2
Leptophlebiidae Pronggilled Mayfly 1
Rheotanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 1
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 1
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Zavrelimyia Non-Biting Midges 1
Menetus Air Breathing Freshwater Snail 1
Crangonyx Amphipod 1
Hyalella Amphipod 1
Musculium Fingernail Clam 1
Girardia Freshwater Flatworm 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.