MBSS Site Summary for: SASS-205-R-2015

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site SASS-205-R-2015_Midpoint-downstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site SASS-205-R-2015_Midpoint-upstream (Opens in a new window)

Located on HERRING BRANCH 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 Fair - 3.3 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 2,382 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 3.6 %
Agricultural Land Use 52 %
Forested Land Use 43.3 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 17/20 (Optimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 16/20 (Optimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 55 meters 		14/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 20 meters 		12/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 55 %
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) 6.49
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		183.8 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 11.8774 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 12 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Tessellated Darter 85
Bluegill 47
American Eel 38
Green Sunfish 6
Brown Bullhead 5
Golden Shiner 4
Eastern Mudminnow 3
Least Brook Lamprey 3
Creek Chub 2
Largemouth Bass 2
Pumpkinseed 2
Lepomis Hybrid 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Northern Green Frog

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Mile-A-Minute
Multiflora Rose
Wineberry
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Prosimulium Black Fly 44
Stegopterna Black Fly 32
Gammarus Amphipod 11
Stenelmis Beetle 5
Maccaffertium March Brown And Cahill Mayfly 3
Nemouridae Nemourid Stonefly 2
Diplocladius Non-Biting Midges 2
Cnephia Black Fly 2
Polycentropus Tube Maker Caddisfly 2
Dineutus Whirlygig Beetle 1
Stygobromus Amphipod 1
Tubificidae Aquatic Worm 1
Chrysops Deerfly 1
Musculium Fingernail Clam 1
Simuliidae Black Fly 1
Simulium Black Fly 1
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 1
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Thienemannimyia Group Non-Biting Midges 1
Prostoia Spring Stonefly 1
Ostrocerca Stonefly 1
Stictochironomus Non-Biting Midge 1
Nigronia Megaloptera (Dark Fishfly) 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.