MBSS Site Summary for: NEAS-305-A-2008

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site NEAS-305-A-2008-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site NEAS-305-A-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 3/12/2008 and again in the summer on 6/24/2008.

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 - 4.3 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Fair - 3.0 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 7,198 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 3 %
Agricultural Land Use 76.6 %
Forested Land Use 19.2 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat

Instream Habitat 10/20 (Marginal)
Epifaunal Substrate 10/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 74 meters
14/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 10 meters
9/20 (Marginal)
Shading 80 %
Embeddedness 50 %


Stream Water Quality:

Water temperature 22.4 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 9.3 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.6
Conductivity 209 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity)
875.8 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 2.637 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 21 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
White Sucker 434
Spottail Shiner 336
Common Shiner 285
Tessellated Darter 263
Swallowtail Shiner 236
Blacknose Dace 209
Rosyside Dace 183
Satinfin Shiner 175
Creek Chub 163
Banded Killifish 71
Northern Hogsucker 69
Cutlip Minnow 64
Longnose Dace 49
Redbreast Sunfish 25
Pumpkinseed 24
Bluegill 13
Margined Madtom 10
American Eel 5
Brown Bullhead 1
Golden Shiner 1
Largemouth Bass 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:

American Bullfrog
Eastern Snapping Turtle
Gray Treefrog
Northern Green Frog
Northern Spring Peeper
Northern Two-Lined Salamander
Northern Watersnake
Pickerel Frog
Spotted Salamander

Crayfish:

Orconectes limosus

Exotic Plants:

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

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:

Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 41
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 8
Orthocladiinae Midge 8
Maccaffertium March Brown And Cahill Mayfly 7
Dolophilodes Medium Evening Sedge Caddisfly 4
Diamesa Bloodworm 4
Prosimulium Black Fly 3
Thienemanniella Non-Biting Midges 3
Paratanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 2
Stenelmis Beetle 2
Lumbriculidae Worm 2
Simuliidae Black Fly 2
Hydrobaenus Midge 2
Caenis Mayfly 2
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 2
Ablabesmyia Non-Biting Midge 1
Brillia Non-Biting Midges 1
Nanocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Eurylophella Mayfly 1
Clinocera Aquatic Dance Fly 1
Helichus Beetle 1
Neophylax Caddisfly 1
Calopteryx Damselfly 1
Heptageniidae Flathead Mayfly 1
Rheocricotopus Non-Biting Midges 1
Rheotanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 1
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 1
Dubiraphia Riffle Beetle 1
Isonychia Slate Drake Mayfly 1
Acerpenna Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 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.