MBSS Site Summary for: SIDE-401-H-2011

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site SIDE-401-H-2011-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site SIDE-401-H-2011-2 (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 3/15/2011 and again in the summer on 7/25/2011.

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 Poor - 1.3 / 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 9/20 (Marginal)
Epifaunal Substrate 9/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 8/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 75 meters 		9/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 23 meters 		8/20 (Marginal)
Shading 40 %
Embeddedness 10 %


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 6.94
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		150.6 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.4495 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 23 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Smallmouth Bass 159
Greenside Darter 140
Longnose Dace 134
Bluntnose Minnow 118
Central Stoneroller 107
Rainbow Darter 73
Margined Madtom 61
Yellow Bullhead 18
Redbreast Sunfish 17
Spotfin Shiner 11
Fantail Darter 9
Northern Hogsucker 8
Creek Chub 7
Rosyface Shiner 7
Swallowtail Shiner 4
Green Sunfish 3
River Chub 2
Tessellated Darter 2
Common Shiner 1
Potomac Sculpin 1
Rock Bass 1
Shorthead Redhorse 1
White Sucker 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Eastern American Toad
Fowler's Toad
Northern Water Snake
Pickerel Frog

Crayfish:
Cambarus bartonii bartonii
Orconectes virilis

Exotic Plants:
Garlic Mustard
Japanese Barberry
Japanese Stiltgrass
Multiflora Rose
Privet
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Prosimulium Black Fly 63
Allocapnia Small Winter Stonefly 28
Simulium Black Fly 7
Strophopteryx Early Brown Stonefly 7
NEMOURIDAE Nemourid Stonefly 2
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 2
Taeniopteryx Winter Stonefly 1
Procladius Non-Biting Midge 1
ENCHYTRAEIDAE Aquatic Worm 1
Stenelmis Beetle 1
Caenis Mayfly 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.