MBSS Site Summary for: RKGR-103-R-2009

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site RKGR-103-R-2009-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site RKGR-103-R-2009-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on UT Hawlings River in the Rocky Gorge Dam watershed, 8-digit code: 02131107.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/5/2009 and again in the summer on 6/10/2009.

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 Fair - 3.3 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Fair - 3.0 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 1,871 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 5.5 %
Agricultural Land Use 74.8 %
Forested Land Use 18.8 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 61 meters 		13/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 31 meters 		16/20 (Optimal)
Shading 50 %
Embeddedness 50 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 18.2 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 8.6 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.37
Conductivity 158 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		425.6 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 2.3554 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 13 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blacknose Dace 204
Central Stoneroller 70
Rosyside Dace 52
Green Sunfish 44
Bluegill 29
Tessellated Darter 27
White Sucker 23
Fallfish 11
Lepomis Hybrid 11
Creek Chub 8
Longnose Dace 6
Cutlip Minnow 2
Largemouth Bass 2
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Northern Dusky Salamander
Northern Green Frog
Northern Two-Lined Salamander
Wood Frog

Crayfish:
Orconectes virilis

Exotic Plants:
Garlic Mustard
Japanese Barberry
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Spiraea
Japanese Stiltgrass
Mile-A-Minute
Multiflora Rose
Oriental Bittersweet
Paulownia
Porcelainberry
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Prosimulium Black Fly 27
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 19
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 17
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 8
Thienemannimyia Group Non-Biting Midges 7
Chimarra Fingernet Caddisfly 5
Stilocladius Midge 5
Stenelmis Beetle 2
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 2
Nanocladius Non-Biting Midges 2
Natarsia Non-Biting Midges 1
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Paraphaenocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Rheotanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 1
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Brillia Non-Biting Midges 1
Pycnopsyche Great Autumn Brown Sedge Caddisfly 1
Nigronia Megaloptera (Dark Fishfly) 1
Pseudolimnophila Crane Fly 1
Strophopteryx Early Brown Stonefly 1
Anchytarsus Beetle 1
Helichus Beetle 1
Zavrelimyia Non-Biting Midges 1
Dubiraphia Riffle Beetle 1
Optioservus Riffle Beetle 1
Oulimnius Riffle Beetle 1
Psephenus Water Penny 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.