MBSS Site Summary for: TUCK-110-R-2003

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site TUCK-110-R-2003-0937 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site TUCK-110-R-2003-0938 (Opens in a new window)

Located on NORWICH CR in the Tuckahoe Creek watershed, 8-digit code: 02130405.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/25/2003 and again in the summer on 7/2/2003.

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 - 4.7 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
(Hint: Screen readers will announce definitions; mouse users can hover over dotted text.)
Catchment area 1,591 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 60 %
Forested Land Use 35 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 7/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 75 meters 		11/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 0 meters 		0/20 (Poor)
Shading 30 %
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 19.7 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 7.4 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.11
Conductivity 213 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		632.8 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 11.4 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 15 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Eastern Mudminnow 89
Redfin Pickerel 26
Tessellated Darter 24
Creek Chubsucker 15
Bluegill 14
Pumpkinseed 12
Pirate Perch 11
Chain Pickerel 9
Golden Shiner 9
American Eel 8
Redbreast Sunfish 3
Fallfish 2
Black Crappie 1
Brown Bullhead 1
Tadpole Madtom 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Eastern Snapping Turtle
Northern Green Frog
Pickerel Frog
Southern Leopard Frog

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Common Reed (Phragmites)
Japanese Honeysuckle
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Prosimulium Black Fly 21
Physa Air-Breathing Freshwater Snail 13
Gammarus Amphipod 11
Thienemannimyia group Non-Biting Midges 10
Stegopterna Black Fly 8
Hydroporus Water Beetle 7
Leptophlebiidae Pronggilled Mayfly 4
Musculium Fingernail Clam 4
Tubificidae Aquatic Worm 4
Stempellinella Non-Biting Midges 4
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 3
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 3
Nanocladius Non-Biting Midges 3
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 3
Dubiraphia Riffle Beetle 3
Tipula Crane Fly 2
Prostoia Spring Stonefly 2
Rheosmittia Non-Biting Midges 2
Tanypodinae Non-Biting Midges 2
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 2
Stenacron Mayfly 2
Nemouridae Nemourid Stonefly 1
Pseudolimnophila Crane Fly 1
Limnephilus 1
Stagnicola Air Breathing Freshwater Snail 1
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 1
Paraphaenocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Ancyronyx Spider Riffle Beetle 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.