MBSS Site Summary for: TRAN-112-R-2004

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site TRAN-112-R-2004-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site TRAN-112-R-2004-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on MIDDLETOWN BR in the Transquaking River watershed, 8-digit code: 02130308.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/23/2004 and again in the summer on 7/1/2004.

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 - 2.3 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Poor - 2.7 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 777 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 4 %
Agricultural Land Use 50 %
Forested Land Use 47 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 7/20 (Marginal)
Epifaunal Substrate 8/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 4/20 (Poor)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 75 meters 		8/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 0 meters 		0/20 (Poor)
Shading 90 %
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 21.4 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 2.1 mg/L
Dissolved oxygen levels measured in the stream were very low (2.1 mg/L). Many fishes and other aquatic animals cannot tolerate low levels of oxygen in the water.
pH (lab) 5.8
Conductivity 139 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		112.3 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 12.3 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 9 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Eastern Mudminnow 477
Brown Bullhead 72
Bluegill 12
Pirate Perch 10
American Eel 4
Golden Shiner 3
Redfin Pickerel 3
Pumpkinseed 2
Black Crappie 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Gray Treefrog
Northern Green Frog
Northern Watersnake

Crayfish:
Procambarus

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Caecidotea Isopod 49
Lumbriculidae Worm 13
Musculium Fingernail Clam 12
Crangonyx Amphipod 9
Dicrotendipes Non-Biting Midges 5
Hydrobaenus Midge 3
Sialis Alderfly 3
Haplotaxidae Aquatic Oligochaetes 2
Thienemannimyia group Non-Biting Midges 2
Tribelos Non-Biting Midges 2
Ironoquia Northern Caddisfly 2
Libellulidae Skimmer Dragonfly 2
Hydroporus Water Beetle 1
Chauliodes 1
Helobdella 1
Stygobromus Amphipod 1
Synurella Amphipod 1
Planariidae Flatworm 1
Clinotanypus Non-Biting Midge 1
Erpobdellidae Leech 1
Natarsia Non-Biting Midges 1
Phaenopsectra Non-Biting Midges 1
Tanytarsus 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.