MBSS Site Summary for: QA-N-103-203-96


Located on BLOCKSTON 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 9/4/1996.

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 - 4.0 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Good - 4.1 / 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 1,073 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 0.1 %
Agricultural Land Use 52.1 %
Forested Land Use 47.4 %


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 9/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = meters 		15/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality 7/20 (Marginal)
Shading 85 %
Embeddedness 35 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 18.2 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 9.4 mg/L
pH (lab) 6.49
Conductivity 178 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		246.9 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 11.2 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 11 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Redfin Pickerel 23
Tessellated Darter 16
Eastern Mudminnow 14
Fallfish 9
Rosyside Dace 8
Pumpkinseed 6
Creek Chubsucker 5
Pirate Perch 4
Bluegill 3
American Eel 1
Redbreast Sunfish 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog

Crayfish:
Procambarus acutus acutus

Exotic Plants:
No exotic plants noted.
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Prosimulium Black Fly 57
Cricotopus Non-Biting Midges 16
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 5
Stegopterna Black Fly 4
Stenelmis Beetle 3
Prostoia Spring Stonefly 3
Gammarus Amphipod 2
Oulimnius Riffle Beetle 2
Ancyronyx Spider Riffle Beetle 2
Boyeria Spotted Darner Dragonfly 2
Lype Net Tube Caddisfly 2
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Diplectrona Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Tipula Crane Fly 1
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 1
Pisidium Freshwater Pea (Pill) Clam 1
Psilotreta Mortarjoint Casemaker Caddisfly 1
Lumbriculidae Worm 1
Pseudorthocladius 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.