MBSS Site Summary for: PTOB-108-R-2003

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site PTOB-108-R-2003-725 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site PTOB-108-R-2003-726 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site PTOB-108-R-2003-727 (Opens in a new window)

Located on PORT TOBACCO CR UT1 in the Port Tobacco River watershed, 8-digit code: 02140109.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/31/2003 and again in the summer on 7/1/2003.

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 Poor - 2.4 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 416 acres A highly channelized urban stream with concrete banks. An example of a highly channelized urban stream.
Urban Land Use 57 %
Agricultural Land Use 13 %
Forested Land Use 28 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 8/20 (Marginal)
Epifaunal Substrate 7/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 50 meters 		11/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 43 meters 		11/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 85 %
Embeddedness 40 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 22.1 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 7.3 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.33
Conductivity 550 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		1234 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 3.6 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
Banded Killifish 51
Pumpkinseed 12
American Eel 11
Creek Chub 11
Eastern Mudminnow 5
Blacknose Dace 4
Rosyside Dace 4
Bluegill 1
Creek Chubsucker 1
Eastern Mosquitofish 1
Tessellated Darter 1
White Sucker 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Northern Two-Lined Salamander

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Bamboo
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 49
Naididae Aquatic Worm 40
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 27
Lumbriculidae Worm 9
Rheosmittia Non-Biting Midges 8
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 8
Conchapelopia Non-Biting Midges 6
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 6
Erpobdellidae Leech 5
Prostoma Freshwater Nemertean (Ribbon Worm) 3
Cricotopus Non-Biting Midges 2
Physa Air-Breathing Freshwater Snail 2
Orthocladiinae Midge 1
Tanypodinae Non-Biting Midges 1
Caecidotea Isopod 1
Tubificidae Aquatic 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.