MBSS Site Summary for: SWAN-108-B-2008

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site SWAN-108-B-2008-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site SWAN-108-B-2008-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on SWAN CREEK in the Swan Creek watershed, 8-digit code: 02130706.
This stream was visited in the spring on 4/22/2008 and again in the summer on 6/11/2008.

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 - 3.7 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Fair - 3.7 / 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 2,006 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 4.9 %
Agricultural Land Use 62.1 %
Forested Land Use 32.1 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 16/20 (Optimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 17/20 (Optimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 68 meters 		13/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 19 meters 		11/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 85 %
Embeddedness 15 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 21.8 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 8.4 mg/L
pH (lab) 8.5
Conductivity 189 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		903.1 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 2.9434 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 12 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blacknose Dace 309
Rosyside Dace 162
Tessellated Darter 110
Cutlip Minnow 49
White Sucker 49
Green Sunfish 48
American Eel 39
Creek Chub 37
Swallowtail Shiner 14
Common Shiner 7
Pumpkinseed 7
Bluegill 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Eastern American Toad
Northern Green Frog
Northern Two-Lined Salamander
Northern Watersnake
Pickerel Frog

Crayfish:
Cambarus bartonii bartonii

Exotic Plants:
Garlic Mustard
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Multiflora Rose
Wineberry
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 39
Simulium Black Fly 18
Acentrella Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 16
Baetis Blue-Winged Olive Mayfly 14
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 6
Empididae Dance Fly 4
Perlidae Common Stonefly 3
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 2
Hemerodromia Tiny Fly 1
Psephenus Water Penny 1
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 1
Antocha Crane Fly 1
Diamesa Bloodworm 1
Rhyacophila Free-Living Caddisfly 1
Oulimnius Riffle Beetle 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.