MBSS Site Summary for: QA-N-098-307-96


Located on MASON BR in the Tuckahoe Creek watershed, 8-digit code: 02130405.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/12/1996 and again in the summer on 9/16/1996.

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 - 4.3 / 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 22,199 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 57.9 %
Forested Land Use 41.3 %


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 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 10/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = meters 		15/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 15 %
Embeddedness 40 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 17.2 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 10.2 mg/L
pH (lab) 6.37
Conductivity 141 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		201.5 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 6.6 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 172
Redbreast Sunfish 71
Creek Chubsucker 69
Tessellated Darter 54
Bluegill 52
Tadpole Madtom 29
Pumpkinseed 23
American Eel 19
Redfin Pickerel 19
Fallfish 13
Pirate Perch 11
Chain Pickerel 5
Largemouth Bass 5
Least Brook Lamprey 3
Golden Shiner 1
Margined Madtom 1
White Sucker 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
No amphibians and reptiles noted.

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 22
Strophopteryx Early Brown Stonefly 19
Stegopterna Black Fly 13
Tubificidae Aquatic Worm 10
Cricotopus Non-Biting Midges 6
Cricotopus/Orthocladius Midge 5
Lumbriculidae Worm 3
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 2
Baetidae Small Minnow Mayfly 2
Prostoia Spring Stonefly 1
Rheotanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 1
Dubiraphia Riffle Beetle 1
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Procladius Non-Biting Midge 1
Triaenodes Long-Horned Caddisfly 1
Eurylophella Mayfly 1
Progomphus 1
Lanthus Clubtail Dragonfly 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.