MBSS Site Summary for: SIDE-201-R-2008

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site SIDE-201-R-2008-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site SIDE-201-R-2008-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on BEAR CREEK in the Sideling Hill Creek watershed, 8-digit code: 02140510.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/26/2008 and again in the summer on 6/30/2008.

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 Fair - 3.7 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Good - 4.0 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 5,911 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 8.7 %
Agricultural Land Use 31.5 %
Forested Land Use 59.7 %


Stream showing woody debris, logs, and rocky substrate.
An example of woody debris in a stream.

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 68 meters 		11/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 13 meters 		13/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 40 %
Embeddedness 40 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 19.7 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 6.9 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.4
Conductivity 330 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		221.1 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.0587 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
Blacknose Dace 154
Green Sunfish 35
Creek Chub 30
Fantail Darter 30
Bluntnose Minnow 25
Potomac Sculpin 21
Longnose Dace 14
White Sucker 13
Rock Bass 7
Bluegill 3
Smallmouth Bass 3
Greenside Darter 2
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Northern Green Frog
Northern Red Salamander
Northern Spring Peeper
Northern Two-Lined Salamander
Spotted Salamander
Wood Frog

Crayfish:
Cambarus bartonii bartonii

Exotic Plants:
Garlic Mustard
Japanese Barberry
Japanese Stiltgrass
Mile-A-Minute
Multiflora Rose
Wineberry
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Prosimulium Black Fly 29
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 22
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 12
Neophylax Caddisfly 12
Optioservus Riffle Beetle 4
Acerpenna Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 3
Pisidiidae Pill Clam 2
Ameletus Combmouthed Minnow Mayfly 2
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 2
Heterocloeon 2
Clinocera Aquatic Dance Fly 2
Orthocladiinae Midge 2
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 2
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Corynoneura Non-Biting Midges 1
Diamesinae Non-Biting Midges 1
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 1
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 1
Helichus Beetle 1
Probezzia Biting Midges 1
Gomphidae Clubtail Dragonfly 1
Simuliidae Black Fly 1
Baetis Blue-Winged Olive Mayfly 1
Thienemannimyia Group Non-Biting Midges 1
Chloroperlidae Green Stonefly 1
Hydrobaenus Midge 1
Isoperla Stripetail 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.