MBSS Site Summary for: NEAS-110-R-2008

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site NEAS-110-R-2008-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site NEAS-110-R-2008-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on NORTHEAST CREEK in the Northeast River watershed, 8-digit code: 02130608.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/4/2008 and again in the summer on 7/10/2008.

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 - 5.0 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 4,210 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 1.2 %
Agricultural Land Use 78.4 %
Forested Land Use 19.6 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat

Instream Habitat 16/20 (Optimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 16/20 (Optimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 68 meters
18/20 (Optimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 7 meters
12/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 60 %
Embeddedness 25 %
Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Optimal' at this location.


Stream Water Quality:

Water temperature 21.1 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 7.6 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.43
Conductivity 161 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity)
525.3 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.3012 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
Tessellated Darter 377
Creek Chub 244
White Sucker 166
Blue Ridge Sculpin 98
Redbreast Sunfish 75
Rosyside Dace 73
Cutlip Minnow 41
Common Shiner 39
Smallmouth Bass 25
American Eel 24
Swallowtail Shiner 23
Blacknose Dace 14
Longnose Dace 14
Northern Hogsucker 14
Margined Madtom 9
Largemouth Bass 6
Bluegill 3
River Chub 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:

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

Crayfish:

Orconectes limosus

Exotic Plants:

Garlic Mustard
Japanese Barberry
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Mile-A-Minute
Multiflora Rose
Oriental Bittersweet
Wineberry
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:

Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Prosimulium Black Fly 50
Chimarra Fingernet Caddisfly 7
Hydrobaenus Midge 7
Ephemerellidae Spiny Crawler Mayfly 6
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 3
Optioservus Riffle Beetle 3
Caecidotea Isopod 3
Pentaneura 2
Caenis Mayfly 2
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 2
Isonychia Slate Drake Mayfly 2
Phaenopsectra Non-Biting Midges 2
Tipula Crane Fly 2
Polycentropus Tube Maker Caddisfly 1
Rheotanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 1
Sympotthastia Non-Biting Midges 1
Tribelos Non-Biting Midges 1
Perlodidae Perlodid Stonefly 1
Ancyronyx Spider Riffle Beetle 1
Oulimnius Riffle Beetle 1
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Eurylophella Mayfly 1
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Procladius Non-Biting Midge 1
Brillia Non-Biting Midges 1
Dicrotendipes Non-Biting Midges 1
Neureclipsis 1
Neophylax Caddisfly 1
Antocha Crane Fly 1
Glossiphoniidae Leech 1
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 1
Acroneuria Golden Stoneflies 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.