MBSS Site Summary for: SASS-101-X-2017

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site SASS-101-X-2017-MidpointLookingDownstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site SASS-101-X-2017-MidpointLookingUpstream (Opens in a new window)

Located on UT Sassafras River in the Sassafras River watershed, 8-digit code: 02130610.
This stream was visited in the spring on 4/20/2017 and again in the summer on 8/11/2017.

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 Poor - 2.4 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 544 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 11.8 %
Agricultural Land Use 80.9 %
Forested Land Use 7 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 7/20 (Marginal)
Epifaunal Substrate 7/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 74 meters 		11/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 18 meters 		7/20 (Marginal)
Shading 40 %
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:
No water quality measurements available for this site.

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 6 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Eastern Mudminnow 121
White Sucker 60
Tessellated Darter 44
Creek Chubsucker 16
American Eel 4
Least Brook Lamprey 4
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Anaxyrus Sp.
Northern Green Frog
Pickerel Frog

Crayfish:
Procambarus sp.

Exotic Plants:
Garlic Mustard
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Multiflora Rose
Phragmites
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
DICROTENDIPES Non-Biting Midges 22
ORTHOCLADIUS Non-Biting Midges 17
POLYPEDILUM Non-Biting Midges 11
TVETENIA Non-Biting Midges 8
HYDROPSYCHE Net-Spinning Caddisfly 8
CHAETOCLADIUS Non-Biting Midges 6
MICROPSECTRA Non-Biting Midges 6
PARAMETRIOCNEMUS Non-Biting Midges 4
XYLOTOPUS Midge 4
CHEUMATOPSYCHE Net-Spinning Caddisfly 4
AGABUS Predatory Aquatic Beetle 3
CRICOTOPUS Non-Biting Midges 3
THIENEMANNIMYIA GROUP Non-Biting Midges 2
TRIBELOS Non-Biting Midges 2
DIAMESA Bloodworm 2
CORYNONEURA Non-Biting Midges 2
CHIRONOMINI Non-Biting Midge 2
CALOPTERYX Damselfly 1
PARATENDIPES European Non-Biting Midge 1
DOLOPHILODES Medium Evening Sedge Caddisfly 1
ORTHOCLADIINAE Midge 1
DIPLECTRONA Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
TUBIFICIDAE Aquatic Worm 1
CERATOPOGONIDAE Biting Midge 1
SIMULIUM Black Fly 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.