MBSS Site Summary for: SWAN-202-R-2016

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site SWAN-202-R-2016_midpoint looking downstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site SWAN-202-R-2016_midpoint looking upstream (Opens in a new window)

Located on Gasheys Creek in the Swan Creek watershed, 8-digit code: 02130706.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/30/2016 and again in the summer on 9/2/2016.

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 Fair - 3.7 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Poor - 2.1 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 2,630 acres A highly channelized urban stream with concrete banks. An example of a highly channelized urban stream.
Urban Land Use 44 %
Agricultural Land Use 17 %
Forested Land Use 30.5 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 10/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 67 meters 		12/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 8 meters 		11/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 60 %
Embeddedness 30 %


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 7.37
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		681.6 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 2.1963 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 13 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blacknose Dace 288
Creek Chub 101
Tessellated Darter 49
Swallowtail Shiner 39
White Sucker 38
Green Sunfish 35
American Eel 27
Creek Chubsucker 8
Common Shiner 4
Brown Bullhead 3
Lepomis Hybrid 3
Pumpkinseed 2
Satinfin Shiner 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Eastern Snapping Turtle
Northern Green Frog
Northern Two-Lined Salamander
Pickerel Frog

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Burning Bush
Garlic Mustard
Japanese Barberry
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Mile-A-Minute
Multiflora Rose
Oriental Bittersweet
Wineberry
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 68
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 12
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 10
Orthocladiinae Midge 7
Diamesa Bloodworm 6
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 5
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 3
Thienemannimyia Group Non-Biting Midges 3
Chimarra Fingernet Caddisfly 3
Rheotanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 2
Tanytarsini Non-Biting Midges 1
Hydrobaenus Midge 1
Cricotopus Non-Biting Midges 1
Tipula Crane Fly 1
Clinocera Aquatic Dance Fly 1
Prosimulium Black Fly 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.