MBSS Site Summary for: NCRW-110-N-2004


Located on FLOWING SPRINGS RUN in the watershed, 8-digit code: .
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/16/2004 and again in the summer on 6/29/2004.

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 N R
Benthic IBI N R

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 4,880 acres Cows standing in a stream at a site with high agricultural land use. Cows survey the sampling procedure at this extreme example of a highly agriculturalized site.
Urban Land Use 28 %
Agricultural Land Use 56 %
Forested Land Use 14 %


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 6/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 16/20 (Optimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 75 meters
12/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 0 meters
0/20 (Poor)
Shading 78 %
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:

Water temperature 18.1 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 7.7 mg/L
pH (lab) 8.13
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity)
4880 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.1 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 5 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Bluntnose Minnow 93
Eastern Mosquitofish 2
Pumpkinseed 1
River Chub 1
Spotfin Shiner 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:

No amphibians and reptiles noted.

Crayfish:

No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:

Common Reed (Phragmites)
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:

Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 29
Rheocricotopus Non-Biting Midges 24
Crangonyx Amphipod 6
Tubificidae Aquatic Worm 6
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 5
Pycnopsyche Great Autumn Brown Sedge Caddisfly 3
Cryptochironomus Non-Biting Midges 3
Rheosmittia Non-Biting Midges 3
Macronychus Riffle Beetle 3
Orthocladiinae Midge 2
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 2
Ceratopogonidae Biting Midge 2
Baetis Blue-Winged Olive Mayfly 2
Antocha Crane Fly 1
Calopteryx Damselfly 1
Stenochironomus European Non-Biting Midge 1
Chimarra Fingernet Caddisfly 1
Clinotanypus Non-Biting Midge 1
Physa Air-Breathing Freshwater Snail 1
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 1
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 1
Baetidae Small Minnow Mayfly 1
Corixidae Water Boatman 1
Gyrinus Whirlygig Beetle 1
Tanypodinae Non-Biting Midges 1
Thienemanniella Non-Biting Midges 1
Pisidiidae Pill Clam 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.