MBSS Site Summary for: SEAS-303-X-2006


Located on Southeast Creek in the Southeast Creek watershed, 8-digit code: 02130508.
This stream was visited in the spring on 4/10/2006 and again in the summer on 9/22/2006.

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 8,974 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 2 %
Agricultural Land Use 75 %
Forested Land Use 23 %


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 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 7/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 75 meters 		11/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 0 meters 		0/20 (Poor)
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 16.2 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 9 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.97
Conductivity 268 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		816 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 4.7562 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 13 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Pumpkinseed 104
Least Brook Lamprey 94
American Eel 56
Tessellated Darter 54
Bluegill 18
Eastern Mosquitofish 14
Green Sunfish 12
Eastern Mudminnow 8
Largemouth Bass 4
Creek Chubsucker 2
Fallfish 2
Swallowtail Shiner 2
Redfin Pickerel 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Northern Watersnake

Crayfish:
Orconectes limosus

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Honeysuckle
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 41
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 16
Thienemannimyia group Non-Biting Midges 6
Isoperla Stripetail Stonefly 5
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 5
Orthocladiinae Midge 5
Ablabesmyia Non-Biting Midge 4
Polycentropus Tube Maker Caddisfly 4
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 3
Serratella Mayfly 3
Nigronia Megaloptera (Dark Fishfly) 2
Lype Net Tube Caddisfly 2
Nanocladius Non-Biting Midges 2
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 2
Potthastia Non-Biting Midges 1
Tanypodinae Non-Biting Midges 1
Labrundinia Non-Biting Midges 1
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 1
Leptoceridae Longhorned Casemaker Caddisfly 1
Eurylophella Mayfly 1
Gomphidae Clubtail Dragonfly 1
Heptageniidae Flathead Mayfly 1
Acerpenna Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 1
Perlodidae Perlodid Stonefly 1
Pisidiidae Pill Clam 1
Cordulegaster Spiketail Dragonfly 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.