MBSS Site Summary for: QA-N-033-304-95


Located on RED LION BR in the Upper Chester River watershed, 8-digit code: 02130510.
This stream was visited in the spring on 4/4/1995 and again in the summer on 7/13/1995.

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 - 4.0 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Good - 4.1 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 10,217 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 69.1 %
Forested Land Use 28.5 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 16/20 (Optimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 17/20 (Optimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = meters 		18/20 (Optimal)
Riffle Quality 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 75 %
Embeddedness 0 %
Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Optimal' at this location.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 23.3 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 7.6 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.03
Conductivity 158 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		362.6 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 4 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
Tessellated Darter 65
Fallfish 38
American Eel 35
Eastern Mudminnow 20
Margined Madtom 10
Bluegill 7
Redbreast Sunfish 6
Yellow Perch 6
Pirate Perch 3
Chain Pickerel 2
Creek Chubsucker 2
Pumpkinseed 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Northern Brownsnake
Northern Green Frog
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
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 24
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 14
Stenelmis Beetle 12
Isoperla Stripetail Stonefly 10
Neophylax Caddisfly 6
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 5
Cricotopus/Orthocladius Midge 4
Optioservus Riffle Beetle 4
Oulimnius Riffle Beetle 4
Acerpenna Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 4
Gammarus Amphipod 2
Prosimulium Black Fly 2
Chimarra Fingernet Caddisfly 1
Argia Narrow-Winged Damselfly 1
Clioperla Green-Winged Stonefly 1
Macronychus Riffle Beetle 1
Boyeria Spotted Darner Dragonfly 1
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 1
Agapetus Tiny Black Short-Horned Caddisfly 1
Hemerodromia Tiny Fly 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.