MBSS Site Summary for: TUCK-111-R-2003

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site TUCK-111-R-2003-0941 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site TUCK-111-R-2003-0942 (Opens in a new window)

Located on GERMAN BR UT2 in the Tuckahoe Creek watershed, 8-digit code: 02130405.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/26/2003 and again in the summer on 7/21/2003.

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 Poor - 2.0 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Fair - 3.6 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 378 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 0 %
Agricultural Land Use 88 %
Forested Land Use 10 %


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 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 7/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 70 meters 		13/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 9 meters 		11/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 93 %
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 24.1 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 5.6 mg/L
pH (lab) 6.71
Conductivity 242 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		617.6 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 5.4 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 6 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Eastern Mudminnow 22
Bluegill 15
Redfin Pickerel 7
Pumpkinseed 3
Brown Bullhead 1
Largemouth Bass 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

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

Crayfish:
Cambaridae

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Honeysuckle
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Physa Air-Breathing Freshwater Snail 40
Tubificidae Aquatic Worm 34
Musculium Fingernail Clam 31
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 10
Callibaetis Speckled Dun Mayfly 4
Dytiscidae Predaceous Diving Beetle 3
Paramerina Non-Biting Midge 2
Hydrobaenus Midge 2
Coenagrionidae Narrowwinged Damselfly 2
Prosimulium Black Fly 2
Isotomurus Elongate-Bodied Springtail 1
Nemouridae Nemourid Stonefly 1
Caenis Mayfly 1
Dicrotendipes 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.