MBSS Site Summary for: NASS-302-S-2017

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site NASS-302-S-2017-MidpointLookingDownstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site NASS-302-S-2017-MidpointLookingUpstream (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 4/10/2017 and again in the summer on 9/18/2017.

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 - 4.0 / 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 18/20 (Optimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 6/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 75 meters 		15/20 (Suboptimal)
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:
pH (lab) 6.37
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		192.3 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 18.636 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 18 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Golden Shiner 56
Creek Chubsucker 48
American Eel 38
Pirate Perch 37
Pumpkinseed 24
Bluegill 8
Redfin Pickerel 8
Tadpole Madtom 8
Banded Sunfish 4
Bluespotted Sunfish 4
Brown Bullhead 4
Chain Pickerel 2
Largemouth Bass 2
Margined Madtom 2
Redbreast Sunfish 2
Tessellated Darter 2
Enneacanthus Sp. 1
Yellow Bullhead 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Northern Spring Peeper

Crayfish:
Procambarus sp.

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Stiltgrass
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
TANYTARSUS Non-Biting Midges 21
CAECIDOTEA Isopod 11
THIENEMANNIMYIA GROUP Non-Biting Midges 10
PARAKIEFFERIELLA European Non-Biting Midge 9
ABLABESMYIA Non-Biting Midge 6
RHEOTANYTARSUS Non-Biting Midges 5
POLYPEDILUM Non-Biting Midges 4
TANYTARSINI Non-Biting Midges 4
LEPTOPHLEBIA Pronggilled Mayfly 3
TANYPODINAE Non-Biting Midges 3
PALAEMONETES 3
VIVIPARUS 2
SYNURELLA Amphipod 2
STENOCHIRONOMUS European Non-Biting Midge 2
DICROTENDIPES Non-Biting Midges 2
LABRUNDINIA Non-Biting Midges 2
STENACRON Mayfly 2
PHAENOPSECTRA Non-Biting Midges 2
CAMPELOMA 1
COENAGRIONIDAE Narrowwinged Damselfly 1
RHEOCRICOTOPUS Non-Biting Midges 1
GYRINUS Whirlygig Beetle 1
LUMBRICULIDAE Worm 1
NANOCLADIUS Non-Biting Midges 1
ORTHOCLADIUS Non-Biting Midges 1
CHIRONOMINI Non-Biting Midge 1
PROCLADIUS Non-Biting Midge 1
CORYNONEURA Non-Biting Midges 1
TRIAENODES Long-Horned Caddisfly 1
MACCAFFERTIUM March Brown And Cahill Mayfly 1
SIMULIUM Black Fly 1
HYALELLA Amphipod 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.