MBSS Site Summary for: PG-N-141-223-97


Located on NORTHEAST BR WESTERN BR in the Western Branch watershed, 8-digit code: 02131103.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/12/1997 and again in the summer on 6/26/1997.

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 - 5.0 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Poor - 2.4 / 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 5,151 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 5.7 %
Agricultural Land Use 55.7 %
Forested Land Use 36.8 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 6/20 (Marginal)
Epifaunal Substrate 5/20 (Poor)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 9/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = meters 		11/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 50 %
Embeddedness 50 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 25.6 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 8.7 mg/L
pH (lab) 6.99
Conductivity 348 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		339.6 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 2.3 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
Swallowtail Shiner 77
Tessellated Darter 65
Creek Chubsucker 44
Bluegill 31
American Eel 22
Golden Shiner 22
Pumpkinseed 19
Fallfish 18
Redbreast Sunfish 12
White Sucker 8
Redfin Pickerel 7
Least Brook Lamprey 6
Yellow Bullhead 6
Eastern Mudminnow 5
Satinfin Shiner 5
Largemouth Bass 2
Rosyside Dace 1
Tadpole Madtom 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

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

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
No exotic plants noted.
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Cricotopus/Orthocladius Midge 24
Tubificidae Aquatic Worm 14
Orthocladiinae A Non-Biting Midges 10
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 6
Diplocladius Non-Biting Midges 5
Hemerodromia Tiny Fly 5
Ancyronyx Spider Riffle Beetle 4
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 4
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 4
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 4
Stenelmis Beetle 4
Prosimulium Black Fly 3
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 3
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 3
Paratanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 2
Ironoquia Northern Caddisfly 2
Thienemanniella Non-Biting Midges 1
Prostoma Freshwater Nemertean (Ribbon Worm) 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.