MBSS Site Summary for: QA-N-098-302-97


Located on MASON BR in the Tuckahoe Creek watershed, 8-digit code: 02130405.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/21/1997 and again in the summer on 8/25/1997.

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 - 4.1 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 22,348 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 10/20 (Marginal)
Epifaunal Substrate 8/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = meters 		13/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 20 %
Embeddedness 70 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 70%. This is relatively high, and may exclude some biota.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 18 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 6.3 mg/L
pH (lab) 6.58
Conductivity 155 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		230 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 7.6 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 17 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Eastern Mudminnow 424
Creek Chubsucker 303
Tadpole Madtom 155
Tessellated Darter 132
Pumpkinseed 96
Pirate Perch 84
Bluegill 68
Redfin Pickerel 52
American Eel 44
Largemouth Bass 36
Fallfish 31
Redbreast Sunfish 29
Golden Shiner 22
Least Brook Lamprey 8
Chain Pickerel 2
Swallowtail Shiner 2
Margined Madtom 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Northern Green 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
Cricotopus/Orthocladius Midge 12
Crangonyx Amphipod 10
Simulium Black Fly 10
Gammarus Amphipod 8
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 7
Pisidium Freshwater Pea (Pill) Clam 6
Amnicola Freshwater Snail 5
Paratanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 5
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 4
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 2
Calopteryx Damselfly 2
Physa Air-Breathing Freshwater Snail 2
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 2
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 1
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 1
Acerpenna Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 1
Progomphus 1
Tipula Crane Fly 1
Enchytraeidae Aquatic Worm 1
Prosimulium Black Fly 1
Sphaerium Fingernail Clam 1
Prostoma Freshwater Nemertean (Ribbon Worm) 1
Conchapelopia Non-Biting Midges 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.