MBSS Site Summary for: QA-N-024-209-95


Located on GRAVELLY RUN in the Upper Chester River watershed, 8-digit code: 02130510.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/28/1995 and again in the summer on 7/25/1995.

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 - 4.7 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 6,690 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 1.1 %
Agricultural Land Use 50.3 %
Forested Land Use 46.7 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 8/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = meters 		9/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality 9/20 (Marginal)
Shading 75 %
Embeddedness 80 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 80%. This is relatively high, and may exclude some biota.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 26 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 6.4 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.16
Conductivity 230 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		802 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 7 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
Tessellated Darter 31
Swallowtail Shiner 29
Redbreast Sunfish 20
Tadpole Madtom 15
American Eel 14
Eastern Mudminnow 7
Pumpkinseed 6
Bluegill 3
Pirate Perch 2
Margined Madtom 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Eastern Snapping Turtle
Northern Green Frog

Crayfish:
Orconectes limosus

Exotic Plants:
No exotic plants noted.
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 9
Gammarus Amphipod 8
Simulium Black Fly 7
Stegopterna Black Fly 7
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 7
Conchapelopia Non-Biting Midges 4
Paratanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 4
Lype Net Tube Caddisfly 3
Isoperla Stripetail Stonefly 2
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 2
Caecidotea Isopod 2
Xylotopus Midge 1
Pycnopsyche Great Autumn Brown Sedge Caddisfly 1
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Brillia Non-Biting Midges 1
Prosimulium Black Fly 1
Goniobasis 1
Planorbella 1
Pseudosuccinea Air Breathing Freshwater Snail 1
Physa Air-Breathing Freshwater Snail 1
Acerpenna Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 1
Taeniopteryx Winter Stonefly 1
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 1
Dubiraphia Riffle 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.