MBSS Site Summary for: SOUT-105-R-2016

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site SOUT-105-R-2016-MidpointDownstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site SOUT-105-R-2016-MidpointUpstream (Opens in a new window)

Located on UT to Bell Branch in the South River watershed, 8-digit code: 02131003.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/28/2016 and again in the summer on 6/27/2016.

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 Poor - 1.7 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Poor - 1.9 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 92 acres A highly channelized urban stream with concrete banks. An example of a highly channelized urban stream.
Urban Land Use 33.7 %
Agricultural Land Use 0 %
Forested Land Use 66.1 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 9/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 8/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 60 meters 		8/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 16 meters 		11/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 95 %
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:
pH (lab) 5.64
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		46.1 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 0.6953 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 1 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
American Eel 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Northern Green Frog
Southern Leopard Frog
Wood Frog

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Garlic Mustard
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Mile-A-Minute
Oriental Bittersweet
Wineberry
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Tipula Crane Fly 27
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 20
Tribelos Non-Biting Midges 15
Phaenopsectra Non-Biting Midges 9
Tubificidae Aquatic Worm 9
Stenochironomus European Non-Biting Midge 4
Molophilus 3
Thienemannimyia Group Non-Biting Midges 2
Chironomini Non-Biting Midge 2
Limnophyes Non-Biting Midge 1
Pseudolimnophila Crane Fly 1
Rhyacophila Free-Living Caddisfly 1
Prostoma Freshwater Nemertean (Ribbon Worm) 1
Lumbriculidae Worm 1
Tanypodinae 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.