MBSS Site Summary for: NEAS-109-R-2001

Site Photos


Located on LITTLE NORTHEAST CR in the Northeast River watershed, 8-digit code: 02130608.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/16/2001 and again in the summer on 6/19/2001.

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 - 4.7 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
(Hint: Screen readers will announce definitions; mouse users can hover over dotted text.)

Catchment area 4,224 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 1 %
Agricultural Land Use 78 %
Forested Land Use 20 %


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 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 52 meters
16/20 (Optimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 30 meters
14/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 85 %
Embeddedness 39 %


Stream Water Quality:

Water temperature 19.2 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 6.8 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.55
Conductivity 160 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity)
459.5 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 4.5 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
Rosyside Dace 334
Blue Ridge Sculpin 310
Tessellated Darter 273
White Sucker 251
Common Shiner 226
Blacknose Dace 198
Creek Chub 127
Cutlip Minnow 55
Longnose Dace 53
Swallowtail Shiner 53
Redbreast Sunfish 23
American Eel 8
Margined Madtom 7
Northern Hogsucker 6
Bluegill 5
Smallmouth Bass 4
Green Sunfish 2
Fathead Minnow 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:

American Bullfrog
Eastern Box Turtle
Northern Green Frog
Northern Two-Lined Salamander
Pickerel Frog

Crayfish:

No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:

Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Mile-A-Minute
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:

Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 26
Eurylophella Mayfly 10
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 9
Neophylax Caddisfly 7
Prosimulium Black Fly 5
Optioservus Riffle Beetle 5
Micropsectra Non-Biting Midges 4
Cricotopus/Orthocladius Midge 4
Conchapelopia Non-Biting Midges 3
Isonychia Slate Drake Mayfly 3
Baetidae Small Minnow Mayfly 2
Leptophlebiidae Pronggilled Mayfly 2
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 2
Zavrelimyia Non-Biting Midges 2
Psectrocladius Non-Biting Midge 2
Endochironomus 2
Argia Narrow-Winged Damselfly 2
Menetus Air Breathing Freshwater Snail 1
Physa Air-Breathing Freshwater Snail 1
Clinocera Aquatic Dance Fly 1
Anchytarsus Beetle 1
Stenelmis Beetle 1
Strophopteryx Early Brown Stonefly 1
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 1
Rhyacophila Free-Living Caddisfly 1
Caenis Mayfly 1
Hydrobaenus Midge 1
Diamesa Bloodworm 1
Stenacron Mayfly 1
Pisidiidae Pill Clam 1
Trissopelopia Non-Biting Midges 1
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 1
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 1
Orthocladiinae A Non-Biting Midges 1
Macronychus Riffle Beetle 1
Polycentropodidae Trupetnet And Tubemaking Caddisfly 1
Prostoia Spring Stonefly 1
Oemopteryx Stonefly 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.