MBSS Site Summary for: SOUT-102-R-2008

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site SOUT-102-R-2008-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site SOUT-102-R-2008-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on UT TO BACON RIDGE BRANCH in the South River watershed, 8-digit code: 02131003.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/3/2008 and again in the summer on 7/2/2008.

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 - 3.0 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Poor - 2.7 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 614 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 1.9 %
Agricultural Land Use 12 %
Forested Land Use 86.1 %


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 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 7/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 75 meters 		13/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 0 meters 		0/20 (Poor)
Shading 30 %
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 19.4 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 5.2 mg/L
pH (lab) 5.98
Conductivity 288 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		6.6589 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 0.3193 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 5 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Eastern Mudminnow 113
Redfin Pickerel 23
Creek Chubsucker 20
Golden Shiner 4
American Eel 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Common Five-Lined Skink
Eastern Cricket Frog
Eastern Gartersnake
Northern Green Frog
Northern Spring Peeper
Northern Watersnake
Red-Spotted Newt
Stinkpot

Crayfish:
Cambarus diogenes

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Stiltgrass
Shrub Honeysuckle
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Prostoia Spring Stonefly 24
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 23
Musculium Fingernail Clam 11
Tubificidae Aquatic Worm 6
Paraphaenocladius Non-Biting Midges 5
Hydrobaenus Midge 5
Diplocladius Non-Biting Midges 5
Corynoneura Non-Biting Midges 4
Clinotanypus Non-Biting Midge 4
Zavrelimyia Non-Biting Midges 4
Procladius Non-Biting Midge 3
Tanypodinae Non-Biting Midges 3
Tipula Crane Fly 2
Peltodytes Crawling Water Beetle 2
Limnephilidae Northern Casemaker Caddisfly 2
Lumbriculidae Worm 2
Libellulidae Skimmer Dragonfly 1
Ptilostomis Giant Casemaker Caddisfly 1
Caecidotea Isopod 1
Ceratopogonidae Biting Midge 1
Stegopterna Black Fly 1
Helisoma 1
Platycentropus 1
Thienemannimyia Group Non-Biting Midges 1
Phaenopsectra Non-Biting Midges 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.