MBSS Site Summary for: QA-N-033-301-95


Located on RED LION BR in the Upper Chester River watershed, 8-digit code: 02130510.
This stream was visited in the spring on 4/6/1995 and again in the summer on 7/28/1995.

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 Good - 4.7 / 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 13,862 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 1.8 %
Agricultural Land Use 66.6 %
Forested Land Use 30.4 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 4/20 (Poor)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 8/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = meters 		15/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 60 %
Embeddedness 100 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 100%. This is very high, and may adversely affect biotic communities.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 24 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 6.5 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.21
Conductivity 173 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		339.8 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 2 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
American Eel 44
Eastern Mudminnow 43
Least Brook Lamprey 24
Pumpkinseed 17
Pirate Perch 13
Chain Pickerel 10
Redbreast Sunfish 9
Creek Chubsucker 8
Redfin Pickerel 8
Largemouth Bass 7
Tessellated Darter 6
Yellow Perch 6
Fallfish 5
Bluegill 4
Tadpole Madtom 3
Margined Madtom 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Northern Green Frog
Pickerel Frog

Crayfish:
Cambarus

Exotic Plants:
No exotic plants noted.
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 18
Isoperla Stripetail Stonefly 11
Rheocricotopus Non-Biting Midges 8
Cricotopus/Orthocladius Midge 6
Physa Air-Breathing Freshwater Snail 5
Amnicola Freshwater Snail 5
Gammarus Amphipod 4
Campeloma 3
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 3
Siphlonurus Gray Drake Mayfly 2
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 2
Rheotanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 2
Agabus Predatory Aquatic Beetle 2
Leptophlebia Pronggilled Mayfly 2
Hydrobiidae Pebble Snail 1
Conchapelopia Non-Biting Midges 1
Labrundinia Non-Biting Midges 1
Hydroptila Microcaddisfly 1
Chelifera Aquatic Dance Fly 1
Simulium Black Fly 1
Neophylax Caddisfly 1
Sphaerium Fingernail Clam 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.