MBSS Site Summary for: PTOB-002-S-2017

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site PTOB-002-S-2017-MidpointPDownstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site PTOB-002-S-2017-MidpointPUpstream (Opens in a new window)

Located on Hoghole Run in the Port Tobacco River watershed, 8-digit code: 02140109.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/7/2017 and again in the summer on 6/13/2017.

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 - 3.7 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Good - 4.4 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 2,329 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 6.3 %
Agricultural Land Use 13.7 %
Forested Land Use 75.5 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 16/20 (Optimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 54 meters 		14/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 30 meters 		12/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 75 %
Embeddedness 20 %


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 6.54
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		115.2 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 2.1859 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 12 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Eastern Mudminnow 60
Creek Chubsucker 19
Blacknose Dace 16
Green Sunfish 12
Creek Chub 9
Rosyside Dace 9
Tessellated Darter 7
American Eel 2
Least Brook Lamprey 2
Pumpkinseed 1
Sea Lamprey 1
Tadpole Madtom 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Cope's Gray Treefrog
Little Brown Skink
Northern Green Frog
Northern Two-Lined Salamander

Crayfish:
Cambarus bartonii bartonii
Cambarus diogenes
Orconectes limosus

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Stiltgrass
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
AMPHINEMURA Spring Stonefly 52
PROSTOIA Spring Stonefly 11
SIMULIUM Black Fly 9
MACCAFFERTIUM March Brown And Cahill Mayfly 7
ISOPERLA Stripetail Stonefly 7
PROSIMULIUM Black Fly 7
EPHEMERELLA Sulphur Mayfly 6
ACERPENNA Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 6
ORTHOCLADIUS Non-Biting Midges 4
CLIOPERLA Green-Winged Stonefly 3
PERLODIDAE Perlodid Stonefly 3
ORTHOCLADIINAE Midge 2
DIPLECTRONA Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
DIAMESINAE Non-Biting Midges 1
DIPLOCLADIUS Non-Biting Midges 1
POTTHASTIA Non-Biting Midges 1
TANYTARSINI Non-Biting Midges 1
TVETENIA Non-Biting Midges 1
CAECIDOTEA Isopod 1
SYNURELLA Amphipod 1
STENELMIS Beetle 1
STEGOPTERNA Black Fly 1
NEOPHYLAX Caddisfly 1
AMELETUS Combmouthed Minnow Mayfly 1
TIPULA Crane Fly 1
STROPHOPTERYX Early Brown Stonefly 1
CHLOROPERLIDAE Green Stonefly 1
OPTIOSERVUS Riffle Beetle 1
OULIMNIUS Riffle Beetle 1
ANAFROPTILUM Small Minnow Mayfly 1
PSEPHENUS Water Penny 1
DINEUTUS Whirlygig Beetle 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.