MBSS Site Summary for: TRAN-105-R-2009

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site TRAN-105-R-2009-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site TRAN-105-R-2009-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on UT Transquaking Creek in the Transquaking River watershed, 8-digit code: 02130308.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/23/2009 and again in the summer on 6/24/2009.

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 Fair - 3.3 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Fair - 3.0 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 943 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 1.4 %
Agricultural Land Use 74.5 %
Forested Land Use 23.1 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 3/20 (Poor)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 75 meters 		10/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 0 meters 		0/20 (Poor)
Shading 65 %
Embeddedness 100 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 100%. This is very high, and may adversely affect biotic communities.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 19.8 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 6.3 mg/L
pH (lab) 6.41
Conductivity 159 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		266.8 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 4.8874 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 8 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Redfin Pickerel 17
Eastern Mudminnow 11
Pirate Perch 10
Brown Bullhead 3
Creek Chubsucker 3
American Eel 1
Bluegill 1
Pumpkinseed 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Fowler's Toad
Northern Green Frog

Crayfish:
Cambarus diogenes

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Honeysuckle
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Paratendipes European Non-Biting Midge 31
Tubificidae Aquatic Worm 13
Caecidotea Isopod 11
Musculium Fingernail Clam 8
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 7
Crangonyx Amphipod 4
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 4
Limnodrilus Worm 4
Ironoquia Northern Caddisfly 3
Physa Air-Breathing Freshwater Snail 3
Neoporus 2
Pycnopsyche Great Autumn Brown Sedge Caddisfly 2
Lumbriculidae Worm 2
Tanytarsini Non-Biting Midges 1
Menetus Air Breathing Freshwater Snail 1
Hydrochara 1
Natarsia Non-Biting Midges 1
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Paraphaenocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Erpobdellidae Leech 1
Paramerina Non-Biting Midge 1
Apsectrotanypus Non-Biting Midges 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.