MBSS Site Summary for: SWAN-211-R-2009

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site SWAN-211-R-2009-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site SWAN-211-R-2009-2 (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 3/25/2009 and again in the summer on 6/26/2009.

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 - 2.7 / 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 1,636 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 12.7 %
Agricultural Land Use 51.1 %
Forested Land Use 35.2 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 17/20 (Optimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 16/20 (Optimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 57 meters 		18/20 (Optimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 28 meters 		15/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 60 %
Embeddedness 27 %
Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Optimal' at this location.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 20.2 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 7.2 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.51
Conductivity 210 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		685.7 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.4349 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 6 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
American Eel 22
Blacknose Dace 9
Bluegill 7
Creek Chub 3
Green Sunfish 2
Tessellated Darter 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Eastern American Toad
Eastern Box Turtle
Northern Green Frog
Pickerel Frog

Crayfish:
Cambarus bartonii bartonii
Orconectes limosus

Exotic Plants:
English Ivy
Garlic Mustard
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Mile-A-Minute
Multiflora Rose
Oriental Bittersweet
Tree Of Heaven
Wineberry
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Rheotanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 37
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 29
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 25
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 12
Dicrotendipes Non-Biting Midges 4
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 4
Thienemanniella Non-Biting Midges 4
Orthocladiinae Midge 2
Girardia Freshwater Flatworm 2
Prostoma Freshwater Nemertean (Ribbon Worm) 1
Physa Air-Breathing Freshwater Snail 1
Antocha Crane Fly 1
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 1
Lumbriculidae Worm 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.