MBSS Site Summary for: SEAS-111-R-2014

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site SEAS-111-R-2014-MidpointDownstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site SEAS-111-R-2014-MidpointUpstream (Opens in a new window)

Located on BROWNS BRANCH UT in the Southeast Creek watershed, 8-digit code: 02130508.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/12/2014 and again in the summer on 6/18/2014.

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 - 4.3 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Good - 4.7 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 1,716 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 8.5 %
Agricultural Land Use 71.9 %
Forested Land Use 19.3 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat

Instream Habitat 10/20 (Marginal)
Epifaunal Substrate 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 10/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 71 meters
10/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 7 meters
8/20 (Marginal)
Shading 75 %
Embeddedness 95 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 95%. This is relatively high, and may exclude some biota.


Stream Water Quality:

pH (lab) 7.44
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity)
691.3 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 3.7229 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
American Eel 48
Swallowtail Shiner 30
Tessellated Darter 28
Green Sunfish 21
Redbreast Sunfish 18
Least Brook Lamprey 13
Eastern Mudminnow 9
Tadpole Madtom 6
Fallfish 4
Bluegill 1
Creek Chubsucker 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:

Northern Green Frog
Pickerel Frog
Southern Leopard Frog

Crayfish:

Cambarus diogenes
Orconectes limosus
Procambarus acutus acutus

Exotic Plants:

English Ivy
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Knotweed
Multiflora Rose
Wisteria
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:

Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Acerpenna Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 13
Thienemannimyia Group Non-Biting Midges 12
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 12
Prosimulium Black Fly 10
Stempellinella Non-Biting Midges 10
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 10
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 8
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 7
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 6
Paratanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 5
Brillia Non-Biting Midges 4
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 4
Maccaffertium March Brown And Cahill Mayfly 4
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 2
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 2
Rheotanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 2
Lype Net Tube Caddisfly 2
Thienemanniella Non-Biting Midges 1
Tanypodinae Non-Biting Midges 1
Limnephilidae Northern Casemaker Caddisfly 1
Pisidiidae Pill Clam 1
Ancyronyx Spider Riffle Beetle 1
Diplocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Micropsectra Non-Biting Midges 1
Paraphaenocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Stilocladius Midge 1
Physa Air-Breathing Freshwater Snail 1
Enchytraeidae Aquatic Worm 1
Simulium Black Fly 1
Gomphus Clubtail Dragonfly 1
Parakiefferiella European Non-Biting Midge 1
Stenochironomus European Non-Biting Midge 1
Oecetis Long-Horned 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.