MBSS Site Summary for: TOWN-408-R-2000

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site TOWN-408-R-2000-01 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site TOWN-408-R-2000-02 (Opens in a new window)

Located on TOWN CR in the Town Creek watershed, 8-digit code: 02140512.
This stream was visited in the spring on 4/3/2000 and again in the summer on 8/31/2000.

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 Good - 4.3 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Fair - 3.8 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 46,446 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 0 %
Agricultural Land Use 15.4 %
Forested Land Use 82.6 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 18/20 (Optimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 17/20 (Optimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 50 meters 		15/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 25 meters 		16/20 (Optimal)
Shading 35 %
Embeddedness 15 %
Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Optimal' at this location.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 21.6 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 8.5 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.54
Conductivity 140 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		505.4 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.7 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 26 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Bluntnose Minnow 299
Spotfin Shiner 272
Redbreast Sunfish 127
Rosyface Shiner 60
Greenside Darter 48
Common Shiner 43
Longear Sunfish 35
Central Stoneroller 34
Fantail Darter 27
Spottail Shiner 24
Fallfish 18
Silverjaw Minnow 18
Smallmouth Bass 16
Tessellated Darter 9
Northern Hogsucker 8
River Chub 8
Rock Bass 7
White Sucker 6
Longnose Dace 4
Margined Madtom 4
Cutlip Minnow 3
Chain Pickerel 2
Golden Redhorse 2
Potomac Sculpin 2
Largemouth Bass 1
Rainbow Darter 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Eastern Ratsnake
Eastern Snapping Turtle
Northern Watersnake
Stinkpot

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Simulium Black Fly 19
Isonychia Slate Drake Mayfly 12
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 11
Lumbriculidae Worm 7
Serratella Mayfly 7
Chimarra Fingernet Caddisfly 6
Drunella Blue-Winged Olive Mayfly 5
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 5
Caenis Mayfly 3
Dolophilodes Medium Evening Sedge Caddisfly 3
Leptoxis Freshwater Snail 3
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 3
Glossosomatidae Saddlecase Maker Caddisfly 2
Chloroperlidae Green Stonefly 2
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 2
Clinocera Aquatic Dance Fly 2
Naididae Aquatic Worm 2
Prosimulium Black Fly 2
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 2
Paratanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 1
Eurylophella Mayfly 1
Cricotopus/Orthocladius Midge 1
Nemouridae Nemourid Stonefly 1
Muscidae Fly 1
Orthotrichia 1
Acentrella Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 1
Stempellinella Non-Biting Midges 1
Perlodidae Perlodid Stonefly 1
Leptophlebiidae Pronggilled Mayfly 1
Dubiraphia Riffle Beetle 1
Leuctridae Rolledwinged Stonefly 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.