MBSS Site Summary for: SEAS-250-H-2008

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site SEAS-250-H-2008-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site SEAS-250-H-2008-2 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site SEAS-250-H-2008-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site SEAS-250-H-2008-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on BROWN'S BRANCH in the Southeast Creek watershed, 8-digit code: 02130508.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/13/2008 and again in the summer on 6/12/2008.

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 - 3.9 / 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 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 9/20 (Marginal)
Epifaunal Substrate 8/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 8/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 75 meters 		16/20 (Optimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 0 meters 		0/20 (Poor)
Shading 80 %
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 22.9 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 6.4 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.06
Conductivity 222 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		443.2 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 5.3758 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
Spottail Shiner 10
Pumpkinseed 7
American Eel 6
Eastern Mudminnow 6
Bluegill 5
Creek Chubsucker 3
White Sucker 3
Largemouth Bass 2
Fallfish 1
Golden Shiner 1
Green Sunfish 1
Tessellated Darter 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Northern Green Frog
Pickerel Frog

Crayfish:
Orconectes limosus

Exotic Plants:
Garlic Mustard
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Acerpenna Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 14
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 12
Paramerina Non-Biting Midge 10
Neoporus 8
Physa Air-Breathing Freshwater Snail 7
Hydrobaenus Midge 7
Caecidotea Isopod 6
Thienemannimyia Group Non-Biting Midges 6
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 5
Ablabesmyia Non-Biting Midge 5
Chironomidae Non-Biting Midge 4
Phaenopsectra Non-Biting Midges 4
Tribelos Non-Biting Midges 3
Stempellinella Non-Biting Midges 2
Procladius Non-Biting Midge 2
Ceratopogonidae Biting Midge 2
Tipulidae Cranefly 1
Clinotanypus Non-Biting Midge 1
Scirtidae Marsh Beetle 1
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 1
Nanocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Taeniopteryx Winter Stonefly 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.