MBSS Site Summary for: QA-N-098-301-96


Located on MASON BR in the Tuckahoe Creek watershed, 8-digit code: 02130405.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/11/1996 and again in the summer on 10/16/1996.

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 Fair - 3.6 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
(Hint: Screen readers will announce definitions; mouse users can hover over dotted text.)
Catchment area 21,790 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 0.5 %
Agricultural Land Use 57.8 %
Forested Land Use 41.4 %


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 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 16/20 (Optimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = meters 		14/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 10 %
Embeddedness 90 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 90%. This is relatively high, and may exclude some biota.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 12.3 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 9.6 mg/L
pH (lab) 6.42
Conductivity 128 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		222.1 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 7.2 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 17 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Eastern Mudminnow 81
Tessellated Darter 74
Creek Chubsucker 65
Tadpole Madtom 39
American Eel 31
Golden Shiner 23
Swallowtail Shiner 20
Pirate Perch 19
Pumpkinseed 19
Bluegill 17
Fallfish 15
Redfin Pickerel 15
Least Brook Lamprey 14
Margined Madtom 11
Redbreast Sunfish 11
Largemouth Bass 1
Yellow Bullhead 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
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
Prosimulium Black Fly 28
Stenelmis Beetle 14
Cricotopus/Orthocladius Midge 12
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 11
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 9
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 6
Stegopterna Black Fly 5
Strophopteryx Early Brown Stonefly 5
Optioservus Riffle Beetle 4
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 3
Prostoia Spring Stonefly 2
Paratanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 2
Dicrotendipes Non-Biting Midges 2
Lumbriculidae Worm 2
Hemerodromia Tiny Fly 1
Nanocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Thienemannimyia Non-Biting Midges 1
Dubiraphia Riffle Beetle 1
Conchapelopia Non-Biting Midges 1
Sphaerium Fingernail Clam 1
Girardia Freshwater Flatworm 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.