MBSS Site Summary for: SASS-120-R-2015

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site SASS-120-R-2015_Midpoint-downstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site SASS-120-R-2015_Midpoint-upstream (Opens in a new window)

Located on DUFFY CREEK in the Sassafras River watershed, 8-digit code: 02130610.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/18/2015 and again in the summer on 9/3/2015.

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 Poor - 2.7 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 1,117 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 3.5 %
Agricultural Land Use 80.3 %
Forested Land Use 15.9 %


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 6/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 7/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 75 meters 		12/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 0 meters 		0/20 (Poor)
Shading 15 %
Embeddedness 100 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 100%. This is very high, and may adversely affect biotic communities.


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 6.57
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		241.3 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 0.8032 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 10 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
White Sucker 17
Tessellated Darter 11
Mummichog 8
Golden Shiner 5
Spottail Shiner 4
American Eel 3
Brown Bullhead 2
Creek Chubsucker 2
Eastern Mudminnow 1
Pumpkinseed 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Pickerel Frog

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Stiltgrass
Mile-A-Minute
Multiflora Rose
Wineberry
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Gammarus Amphipod 56
Thienemannimyia Group Non-Biting Midges 21
Hemerodromia Tiny Fly 2
Rheotanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 2
Lumbriculidae Worm 2
Prosimulium Black Fly 2
Tipula Crane Fly 2
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 2
Musculium Fingernail Clam 2
Ptilostomis Giant Casemaker Caddisfly 1
Caecidotea Isopod 1
Dolichopodidae Long-Legged Fly 1
Lype Net Tube Caddisfly 1
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 1
Paraphaenocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Calopteryx Damselfly 1
Heterotrissocladius European Non-Biting Midge 1
Hexatoma Crane Fly 1
Enchytraeidae Aquatic Worm 1
Tubificidae Aquatic Worm 1
Paralauterborniella 1
Polycentropus Tube Maker Caddisfly 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.