MBSS Site Summary for: SEAS-250-H-2012

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site SEAS-250-H-2012-MidpointPdownstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site SEAS-250-H-2012-MidpointPupstream (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 3/14/2012 and again in the summer on 7/18/2012.

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 - 4.7 / 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 18/20 (Optimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 16/20 (Optimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 9/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 65 meters 		19/20 (Optimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 12 meters 		8/20 (Marginal)
Shading 70 %
Embeddedness 95 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 95%. This is relatively high, and may exclude some biota.
Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Optimal' at this location.


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 7.21
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		573 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 6.1348 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 17 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Bluegill 77
Tessellated Darter 59
Creek Chubsucker 30
Eastern Mosquitofish 24
Redbreast Sunfish 19
American Eel 18
Green Sunfish 16
Pumpkinseed 11
Eastern Mudminnow 10
Swallowtail Shiner 9
Tadpole Madtom 7
Fallfish 6
Least Brook Lamprey 6
White Sucker 6
Largemouth Bass 5
Black Crappie 1
Yellow Perch 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Northern Green Frog
Northern Spring Peeper
Northern Water Snake
Pickerel Frog

Crayfish:
Orconectes limosus

Exotic Plants:
Garlic Mustard
Japanese Honeysuckle
Multiflora Rose
Wisteria
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 42
Simulium Black Fly 12
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 6
Prosimulium Black Fly 5
Cricotopus Non-Biting Midges 5
Thienemannimyia Group Non-Biting Midges 5
Isoperla Stripetail Stonefly 5
Acerpenna Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 4
Tribelos Non-Biting Midges 4
Maccaffertium March Brown And Cahill Mayfly 4
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 4
NEMOURIDAE Nemourid Stonefly 3
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 3
Brillia Non-Biting Midges 3
Rheotanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 3
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 2
TANYTARSINI Non-Biting Midges 1
Potthastia Non-Biting Midges 1
Hydrobaenus Midge 1
Orthocladiinae Midge 1
TUBIFICIDAE Aquatic Worm 1
Stegopterna Black Fly 1
Hexatoma Crane Fly 1
Tipula Crane 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.