MBSS Site Summary for: SEAS-116-R-2000

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site SEAS-116-R-2000-01 (Opens in a new window)

Located on GRANNY FINLEY BR in the Southeast Creek watershed, 8-digit code: 02130508.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/21/2000 and again in the summer on 8/8/2000.

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 Fair - 3.3 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
(Hint: Screen readers will announce definitions; mouse users can hover over dotted text.)
Catchment area 1,806 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 0.2 %
Agricultural Land Use 74.4 %
Forested Land Use 25.3 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 8/20 (Marginal)
Epifaunal Substrate 6/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 63 meters 		12/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 12 meters 		14/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 85 %
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:
Water temperature 23 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 3.7 mg/L
Dissolved oxygen levels measured in the stream were very low (3.7 mg/L). Many fishes and other aquatic animals cannot tolerate low levels of oxygen in the water.
pH (lab) 7.05
Conductivity 250 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		733.9 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 6.7 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 9 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Eastern Mudminnow 144
Creek Chubsucker 84
Pirate Perch 55
Tessellated Darter 12
American Eel 11
Largemouth Bass 3
Redbreast Sunfish 3
Bluegill 2
Redfin Pickerel 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Common Five-Lined Skink
Eastern Snapping Turtle
Fowler's Toad
Northern Green Frog
Pickerel Frog
Southern Leopard Frog

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Honeysuckle
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 19
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 16
Tubificidae Aquatic Worm 12
Physa Air-Breathing Freshwater Snail 11
Caecidotea Isopod 10
Cricotopus Non-Biting Midges 10
Pisidium Freshwater Pea (Pill) Clam 4
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 3
Conchapelopia Non-Biting Midges 3
Dicrotendipes Non-Biting Midges 2
Nanocladius Non-Biting Midges 2
Corynoneura Non-Biting Midges 1
Leptophlebiidae Pronggilled Mayfly 1
Hydroporus Water Beetle 1
Ablabesmyia Non-Biting Midge 1
Paramerina Non-Biting Midge 1
Menetus Air Breathing Freshwater Snail 1
Prosimulium Black Fly 1
Simulium Black Fly 1
Stegopterna 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.