MBSS Site Summary for: OCTO-114-R-2004

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site OCTO-114-R-2004-92 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site OCTO-114-R-2004-93 (Opens in a new window)

Located on BASIN RUN UT 1 in the Octoraro Creek watershed, 8-digit code: 02120203.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/31/2004 and again in the summer on 7/29/2004.

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 Fair - 3.0 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Fair - 3.7 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 983 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 4 %
Agricultural Land Use 45 %
Forested Land Use 50 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 16/20 (Optimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 40 meters 		14/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 47 meters 		13/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 90 %
Embeddedness 15 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 17.2 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 7.9 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.38
Conductivity 138 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		476.1 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 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 10 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blacknose Dace 163
Brown Trout 36
American Eel 23
Rosyside Dace 18
Sea Lamprey 14
Longnose Dace 11
Cutlip Minnow 6
Tessellated Darter 5
Pumpkinseed 3
White Sucker 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

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

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Honeysuckle
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Diamesa Bloodworm 66
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 29
Perlodidae Perlodid Stonefly 4
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 3
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 3
Epeorus Mayfly 2
Clinocera Aquatic Dance Fly 2
Ameletus Combmouthed Minnow Mayfly 2
Antocha Crane Fly 2
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 1
Glossosoma Little Black Caddisfly 1
Anchytarsus Beetle 1
Enochrus 1
Homoplectra 1
Eurylophella Mayfly 1
Stylogomphus Clubtail Dragonfly 1
Diplectrona Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 1
Trissopelopia Non-Biting Midges 1
Baetidae Small Minnow Mayfly 1
Eccoptura Yellow Stone 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.