MBSS Site Summary for: NEAS-103-R-2015

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site NEAS-103-R-2015_Midpoint-looking-downstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site NEAS-103-R-2015_Midpoint-looking-upstream (Opens in a new window)

Located on WEST BRANCH LITTLE NORTHEAST CREEK in the Northeast River watershed, 8-digit code: 02130608.
This stream was visited in the spring on 4/2/2015 and again in the summer on 9/18/2015.

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 Fair - 3.3 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 2,977 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 14.9 %
Agricultural Land Use 63.9 %
Forested Land Use 17.9 %


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 17/20 (Optimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 38 meters 		12/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 37 meters 		11/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 80 %
Embeddedness 30 %


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 7.55
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		589.8 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 2.819 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 17 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blue Ridge Sculpin 167
Tessellated Darter 73
Blacknose Dace 68
Rosyside Dace 63
Creek Chub 41
Cutlip Minnow 35
Common Shiner 30
American Eel 28
Longnose Dace 20
Margined Madtom 16
White Sucker 11
Smallmouth Bass 10
Redbreast Sunfish 8
Northern Hogsucker 4
Largemouth Bass 3
River Chub 2
Swallowtail Shiner 2
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Northern Green Frog
Northern Two-Lined Salamander

Crayfish:
Orconectes limosus

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Mile-A-Minute
Multiflora Rose
Oriental Bittersweet
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Prosimulium Black Fly 24
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 17
Chimarra Fingernet Caddisfly 13
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 8
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 7
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 6
Polycentropus Tube Maker Caddisfly 5
Diamesa Bloodworm 4
Maccaffertium March Brown And Cahill Mayfly 3
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 3
Hydrobaenus Midge 3
Rheotanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 3
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 2
Isonychia Slate Drake Mayfly 2
Argia Narrow-Winged Damselfly 2
Anchytarsus Beetle 1
Orthocladiinae Midge 1
Micropsectra Non-Biting Midges 1
Eurylophella Mayfly 1
Acroneuria Golden Stoneflies 1
Neophylax Caddisfly 1
Antocha Crane Fly 1
Psephenus Water Penny 1
Thienemannimyia Group Non-Biting Midges 1
Sympotthastia Non-Biting Midges 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.