MBSS Site Summary for: SEAS-250-H-2011

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site SEAS-250-H-2011-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site SEAS-250-H-2011-2 (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 3/3/2011 and again in the summer on 6/2/2011.

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 Good - 4.4 / 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 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 70 meters 		15/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 7 meters 		11/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 65 %
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) 7.065
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		449.3 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 7.0736 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 14 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Spottail Shiner 38
White Sucker 38
Bluegill 25
Creek Chubsucker 13
Tessellated Darter 12
Green Sunfish 7
Pumpkinseed 7
American Eel 6
Golden Shiner 5
White Perch 4
Black Crappie 2
Eastern Mudminnow 1
Fallfish 1
Redbreast Sunfish 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
No amphibians and reptiles noted.

Crayfish:
Orconectes limosus

Exotic Plants:
Garlic Mustard
Japanese Stiltgrass
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 31
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 9
Paramerina Non-Biting Midge 6
TUBIFICIDAE Aquatic Worm 6
Stegopterna Black Fly 5
Acerpenna Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 5
Thienemannimyia Group Non-Biting Midges 4
Ablabesmyia Non-Biting Midge 3
Polycentropus Tube Maker Caddisfly 3
Limnodrilus Worm 2
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 2
Trissopelopia Non-Biting Midges 2
Nanocladius Non-Biting Midges 2
Paratanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 2
Phaenopsectra Non-Biting Midges 2
Ormosia Cranefly 2
Physa Air-Breathing Freshwater Snail 2
Prostoma Freshwater Nemertean (Ribbon Worm) 2
Orthocladiinae Midge 2
Stilocladius Midge 2
Xylotopus Midge 1
Argia Narrow-Winged Damselfly 1
Caecidotea Isopod 1
Triaenodes Long-Horned Caddisfly 1
Eurylophella Mayfly 1
Stygobromus Amphipod 1
Bezzia Biting Midge 1
Musculium Fingernail Clam 1
Hagenius Clubtail Dragonfly 1
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 1
Rheotanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 1
Psectrocladius Non-Biting Midge 1
Zalutschia Non-Biting Midge 1
Corynoneura Non-Biting Midges 1
Diplocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Chironomini Non-Biting Midge 1
Limnophyes Non-Biting Midge 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.