MBSS Site Summary for: TOWN-417-R-2016

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site TOWN-417-R-2016-MidpointDownstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site TOWN-417-R-2016-MidpointUpstream (Opens in a new window)

Located on Town Creek in the Town Creek watershed, 8-digit code: 02140512.
This stream was visited in the spring on 4/5/2016 and again in the summer on 7/19/2016.

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 Good - 4.7 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Good - 4.3 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 104,835 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 4 %
Agricultural Land Use 13 %
Forested Land Use 82.4 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 73 meters 		11/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 17 meters 		17/20 (Optimal)
Shading 35 %
Embeddedness 15 %


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 8.06
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		1148.5 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.8907 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 27 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Greenside Darter 171
Central Stoneroller 106
Common Shiner 80
Redbreast Sunfish 59
Rainbow Darter 56
Smallmouth Bass 56
Bluntnose Minnow 53
Fantail Darter 35
Rock Bass 34
Margined Madtom 32
Fallfish 22
Longnose Dace 16
River Chub 10
Northern Hogsucker 7
Lepomis Hybrid 4
Rosyface Shiner 3
Tessellated Darter 3
Creek Chub 2
Cutlip Minnow 2
Spottail Shiner 2
Bluegill 1
Chain Pickerel 1
Green Sunfish 1
Longear Sunfish 1
Potomac Sculpin 1
White Sucker 1
Yellow Bullhead 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Wood Frog

Crayfish:
Cambarus
Orconectes

Exotic Plants:
Autumn Olive
Garlic Mustard
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Multiflora Rose
Tree Of Heaven
Watermilfoil
Wineberry
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Stenelmis Beetle 16
Leucrocuta Mayfly 11
Chimarra Fingernet Caddisfly 9
Maccaffertium March Brown And Cahill Mayfly 8
Perlidae Common Stonefly 6
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 6
Plauditus Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 6
Simulium Black Fly 4
Leptoxis Freshwater Snail 4
Eurylophella Mayfly 3
Optioservus Riffle Beetle 3
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 3
Isonychia Slate Drake Mayfly 3
Labrundinia Non-Biting Midges 2
Teloganopsis Mayfly 2
Dubiraphia Riffle Beetle 2
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 2
Acroneuria Golden Stoneflies 2
Epeorus Mayfly 2
Drunella Blue-Winged Olive Mayfly 2
Simuliidae Black Fly 2
Empididae Dance Fly 1
Lanthus Clubtail Dragonfly 1
Stylogomphus Clubtail Dragonfly 1
Hyalella Amphipod 1
Caenis Mayfly 1
Lepidostoma Little Brown Sedge Caddisfly 1
Rheotanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 1
Thienemannimyia Group Non-Biting Midges 1
Ceraclea Scaly-Winged Sedge Caddisfly 1
Orthocladiinae Midge 1
Enallagma Narrow-Winged Damselfly 1
Nanocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Blepharicera Net-Winged Midges 1
Cricotopus Non-Biting Midges 1
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 1
Acentrella Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 1
Psephenus Water Penny 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.