MBSS Site Summary for: STIL-207-R-2001

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site STIL-207-R-2001-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site STIL-207-R-2001-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on FAIRLEE CR UT1 UT2 in the Stillpond-Fairlee watershed, 8-digit code: 02130611.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/27/2001 and again in the summer on 7/3/2001.

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 Fair - 3.9 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
(Hint: Screen readers will announce definitions; mouse users can hover over dotted text.)
Catchment area 1,347 acres Cows standing in a stream at a site with high agricultural land use. Cows survey the sampling procedure at this extreme example of a highly agriculturalized site.
Urban Land Use 1 %
Agricultural Land Use 81 %
Forested Land Use 17 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 10/20 (Marginal)
Epifaunal Substrate 7/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 62 meters 		13/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 27 meters 		16/20 (Optimal)
Shading 85 %
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 17.6 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 6.9 mg/L
pH (lab) 6.58
Conductivity 150 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		173.9 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 2.6 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 7 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Tessellated Darter 26
Bluegill 15
American Eel 10
Pumpkinseed 7
Brown Bullhead 1
Golden Shiner 1
Least Brook Lamprey 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Eastern Box Turtle
Eastern Snapping Turtle
Fowler's Toad
Northern Green Frog
Northern Two-Lined Salamander
Northern Watersnake
Pickerel Frog
Southern Leopard Frog

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Prosimulium Black Fly 34
Stegopterna Black Fly 23
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 7
Rheosmittia Non-Biting Midges 6
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 5
Orthocladiinae Midge 4
Xylotopus Midge 3
Cricotopus/Orthocladius Midge 3
Rheocricotopus Non-Biting Midges 3
Leptophlebiidae Pronggilled Mayfly 2
Oulimnius Riffle Beetle 2
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 2
Sphaerium Fingernail Clam 2
Simulium Black Fly 2
Chelifera Aquatic Dance Fly 1
Clinocera Aquatic Dance Fly 1
Dolichopodidae Long-Legged Fly 1
Tipula Crane Fly 1
Calopteryx Damselfly 1
Lype Net Tube Caddisfly 1
Conchapelopia Non-Biting Midges 1
Micropsectra Non-Biting Midges 1
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 1
Ancyronyx Spider Riffle Beetle 1
Macronychus Riffle Beetle 1
Tanypodinae Non-Biting Midges 1
Polypedilum 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.