MBSS Site Summary for: SIDE-312-R-2015


Located on BEAR CREEK in the Sideling Hill Creek watershed, 8-digit code: 02140510.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/17/2015 and again in the summer on 6/1/2015.

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 - 3.3 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Fair - 3.0 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 6,428 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 8.4 %
Agricultural Land Use 30.9 %
Forested Land Use 60.6 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 50 meters 		12/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 27 meters 		12/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 50 %
Embeddedness 15 %


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 7.33
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		217.2 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.7 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 9 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blacknose Dace 288
Creek Chub 101
Potomac Sculpin 64
White Sucker 16
Green Sunfish 9
Bluntnose Minnow 7
Fantail Darter 5
Central Stoneroller 3
Greenside Darter 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Eastern Box Turtle
Northern Two-Lined Salamander
Northern Water Snake

Crayfish:
Cambarus bartonii bartonii

Exotic Plants:
Autumn Olive
Japanese Barberry
Japanese Stiltgrass
Mile-A-Minute
Multiflora Rose
Shrub Honeysuckle
Wineberry
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Prosimulium Black Fly 41
Prostoia Spring Stonefly 19
Capniidae Small Winter Stonefly 18
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 5
Nemouridae Nemourid Stonefly 5
Heterocloeon 4
Taeniopteryx Winter Stonefly 4
Simulium Black Fly 3
Neophylax Caddisfly 3
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 2
Clioperla Green-Winged Stonefly 2
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 2
Isoperla Stripetail Stonefly 2
Psephenus Water Penny 1
Caecidotea Isopod 1
Dolichopodidae Long-Legged Fly 1
Micropsectra Non-Biting Midges 1
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 1
Hexatoma Crane Fly 1
Tipula Crane Fly 1
Chrysops Deerfly 1
Pteronarcys Giant Stonefly 1
Penelomax 1
Physa Air-Breathing Freshwater Snail 1
Sialis Alderfly 1
Clinocera Aquatic Dance 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.