MBSS Site Summary for: NASS-302-S-2016

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site NASS-302-S-2016_midpoint looking downstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site NASS-302-S-2016_midpoint looking upstream (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 4/18/2016 and again in the summer on 9/7/2016.

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 731 acres A highly channelized urban stream with concrete banks. An example of a highly channelized urban stream.
Urban Land Use 57.4 %
Agricultural Land Use 4.5 %
Forested Land Use 37 %


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 17/20 (Optimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 9/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 75 meters 		18/20 (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) 6.25
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		190.8 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 17.62 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 78
American Eel 59
Pirate Perch 52
Redfin Pickerel 47
Tadpole Madtom 28
Creek Chubsucker 20
Pumpkinseed 12
Bluegill 5
Eastern Mudminnow 5
Chain Pickerel 3
Tessellated Darter 3
Yellow Perch 3
Yellow Bullhead 2
Brown Bullhead 1
Margined Madtom 1
Redbreast Sunfish 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Cope's Gray Treefrog
Northern Green Frog
Southern Leopard Frog

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Stiltgrass
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Neoporous Predaceous Diving Beetle 18
Pseudocloeon 14
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 10
Procladius Non-Biting Midge 6
Parakiefferiella European Non-Biting Midge 5
Corynoneura Non-Biting Midges 5
Caecidotea Isopod 5
Cricotopus Non-Biting Midges 3
Chironomus Non-Biting Midges 3
Zavrelimyia Non-Biting Midges 3
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 2
Phaenopsectra Non-Biting Midges 2
Rheotanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 2
Tanypodinae Non-Biting Midges 2
Simulium Black Fly 2
Campeloma 2
Kiefferulus 1
Palaemonetes 1
Crangonyx Amphipod 1
Oecetis Long-Horned Caddisfly 1
Stenacron Mayfly 1
Nemouridae Nemourid Stonefly 1
Nanocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Stenochironomus European Non-Biting Midge 1
Tanypus Non-Biting Midge 1
Pisidiidae Pill Clam 1
Thienemannimyia Group Non-Biting Midges 1
Dubiraphia Riffle Beetle 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.