MBSS Site Summary for: NASS-302-S-2019

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site NASS-302-S-2019-MidpointLookingDownstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site NASS-302-S-2019-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 4/4/2019 and again in the summer on 9/17/2019.

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 Good - 4.1 / 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 5 %
Agricultural Land Use 21.7 %
Forested Land Use 71.1 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 17/20 (Optimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 9/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 75 meters 		17/20 (Optimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 0 meters 		0/20 (Poor)
Shading 75 %
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) 6.33
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		223.7 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 15.9524 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 19 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Golden Shiner 268
Pirate Perch 84
Redfin Pickerel 51
Creek Chubsucker 50
Bluespotted Sunfish 43
American Eel 41
Tadpole Madtom 21
Bluegill 16
Pumpkinseed 14
Yellow Perch 14
Banded Sunfish 9
Margined Madtom 8
Eastern Mudminnow 5
Yellow Bullhead 4
Swamp Darter 3
Brown Bullhead 2
Chain Pickerel 1
Green Sunfish 1
Tessellated Darter 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Common Five-Lined Skink
Northern Brownsnake

Crayfish:
Procambarus acutus / zonangulus

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Stiltgrass
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
TANYTARSUS Non-Biting Midges 63
THIENEMANNIMYIA GROUP Non-Biting Midges 7
HYALELLA Amphipod 7
CAECIDOTEA Isopod 5
TANYTARSINI Non-Biting Midges 4
TRIAENODES Long-Horned Caddisfly 3
ABLABESMYIA Non-Biting Midge 3
PROCLADIUS Non-Biting Midge 3
TRIBELOS Non-Biting Midges 3
LABRUNDINIA Non-Biting Midges 3
PALAEMONETES 2
TANYPODINAE Non-Biting Midges 2
DICROTENDIPES Non-Biting Midges 2
TUBIFICIDAE Aquatic Worm 2
PYCNOPSYCHE Great Autumn Brown Sedge Caddisfly 2
MACCAFFERTIUM March Brown And Cahill Mayfly 2
DUBIRAPHIA Riffle Beetle 2
EURYLOPHELLA Mayfly 1
XYLOTOPUS Midge 1
COENAGRIONIDAE Narrowwinged Damselfly 1
NANOCLADIUS Non-Biting Midges 1
PHAENOPSECTRA Non-Biting Midges 1
NEOPOROUS Predaceous Diving Beetle 1
LEPTOPHLEBIIDAE Pronggilled Mayfly 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.