MBSS Site Summary for: OCTO-201-C-2001

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site OCTO-201-C-2001-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site OCTO-201-C-2001-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on BASIN RUN in the Octoraro Creek watershed, 8-digit code: 02120203.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/16/2001 and again in the summer on 6/20/2001.

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 - 4.0 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Good - 4.7 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 7,119 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 2 %
Agricultural Land Use 65 %
Forested Land Use 33 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 18/20 (Optimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 19/20 (Optimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 18/20 (Optimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 30 meters 		13/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 65 meters 		19/20 (Optimal)
Shading 70 %
Embeddedness 20 %
Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Optimal' at this location.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 21.9 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 8.6 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.89
Conductivity 180 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		607 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 2.1 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 16 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blacknose Dace 157
Longnose Dace 88
Rosyside Dace 83
American Eel 78
Cutlip Minnow 55
White Sucker 50
Tessellated Darter 32
Brown Trout 24
Sea Lamprey 9
Margined Madtom 8
Largemouth Bass 5
Common Shiner 4
Creek Chub 1
Green Sunfish 1
Pumpkinseed 1
Smallmouth Bass 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Eastern Gartersnake
Eastern Snapping Turtle
Northern Two-Lined Salamander
Northern Watersnake

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 82
Cricotopus/Orthocladius Midge 5
Nemouridae Nemourid Stonefly 3
Heptageniidae Flathead Mayfly 3
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 3
Isonychia Slate Drake Mayfly 3
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 2
Diamesa Bloodworm 2
Drunella Blue-Winged Olive Mayfly 2
Strophopteryx Early Brown Stonefly 1
Chimarra Fingernet Caddisfly 1
Rhyacophila Free-Living Caddisfly 1
Serratella Mayfly 1
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Optioservus Riffle Beetle 1
Oulimnius Riffle Beetle 1
Sweltsa Stonefly 1
Brillia Non-Biting Midges 1
Corynoneura Non-Biting Midges 1
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 1
Prosimulium Black Fly 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.