MBSS Site Summary for: SIDE-401-H-2008

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site SIDE-401-H-2008-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site SIDE-401-H-2008-2 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site SIDE-401-H-2008-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site SIDE-401-H-2008-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on SIDELING HILL 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 7/17/2008.

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 Good - 4.7 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Fair - 3.3 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 65,818 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 6.5 %
Agricultural Land Use 17.4 %
Forested Land Use 76 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 17/20 (Optimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 10/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 66 meters 		10/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 21 meters 		14/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 45 %
Embeddedness 15 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 25.8 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 8.8 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.31
Conductivity 133 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		187.1 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.1288 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
Central Stoneroller 343
Rainbow Darter 167
Greenside Darter 125
Longnose Dace 105
Fallfish 85
Redbreast Sunfish 57
River Chub 38
Smallmouth Bass 23
Rock Bass 14
Margined Madtom 13
Spotfin Shiner 13
Fantail Darter 7
Common Shiner 3
Northern Hogsucker 3
Green Sunfish 2
Bluntnose Minnow 1
Potomac Sculpin 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Fowler's Toad
Northern Fence Lizard
Northern Green Frog
Northern Watersnake
Red-Spotted Newt

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Garlic Mustard
Japanese Stiltgrass
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Prosimulium Black Fly 67
Heterocloeon 6
Simulium Black Fly 5
Optioservus Riffle Beetle 4
Trichoptera Caddisfly 3
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 3
Corynoneura Non-Biting Midges 2
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 2
Enchytraeidae Aquatic Worm 2
Helichus Beetle 2
Simuliidae Black Fly 1
Strophopteryx Early Brown Stonefly 1
Chimarra Fingernet Caddisfly 1
Heptageniidae Flathead Mayfly 1
Caenis Mayfly 1
Stempellinella Non-Biting Midges 1
Thienemanniella Non-Biting Midges 1
Macronychus Riffle Beetle 1
Micropsectra Non-Biting Midges 1
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 1
Glossosomatidae Saddlecase Maker Caddisfly 1
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 1
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 1
Hemerodromia Tiny Fly 1
Psephenus Water Penny 1
Taeniopterygidae Winter Stonefly 1
Lumbriculidae Worm 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.