MBSS Site Summary for: SEAS-250-H-2007

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site SEAS-250-H-2007-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site SEAS-250-H-2007-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on Browns Branch in the Southeast Creek watershed, 8-digit code: 02130508.
This stream was visited in the spring on 4/17/2007 and again in the summer on 8/13/2007.

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 Poor - 2.3 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Good - 5.0 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 5,954 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 1.1 %
Agricultural Land Use 72.3 %
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 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 7/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 74 meters 		11/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 2 meters 		14/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 90 %
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 23.2 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 6.8 mg/L
pH (lab) 6.76
Conductivity 229 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		275.9 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 8.1355 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 6 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Eastern Mudminnow 17
Bluegill 12
Green Sunfish 12
Pumpkinseed 12
American Eel 8
Largemouth Bass 3
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Northern Green Frog
Southern Leopard Frog

Crayfish:
Orconectes limosus
Procambarus acutus acutus

Exotic Plants:
Garlic Mustard
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Acerpenna Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 32
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 10
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 10
Isoperla Stripetail Stonefly 9
Thienemannimyia group Non-Biting Midges 8
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 5
Rheocricotopus Non-Biting Midges 3
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 3
Ironoquia Northern Caddisfly 3
Caecidotea Isopod 2
Ormosia Cranefly 2
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 2
Paratanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 1
Physa Air-Breathing Freshwater Snail 1
Pseudolimnophila Crane Fly 1
Tipula Crane Fly 1
Rheosmittia Non-Biting Midges 1
Tanypodinae Non-Biting Midges 1
Peltodytes Crawling Water Beetle 1
Isotomurus Elongate-Bodied Springtail 1
Musculium Fingernail Clam 1
Plathemis Long-Tailed Skimmer Dragonfly 1
Orthocladiinae Midge 1
Leptophlebia Pronggilled Mayfly 1
Leptophlebiidae Pronggilled Mayfly 1
Polycentropus Tube Maker Caddisfly 1
Hydroporus Water Beetle 1
Tribelos Non-Biting Midges 1
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 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.