MBSS Site Summary for: TUCK-119-R-2003

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site TUCK-119-R-2003-1014 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site TUCK-119-R-2003-1015 (Opens in a new window)

Located on BEAVERDAM DITCH in the Tuckahoe Creek watershed, 8-digit code: 02130405.
This stream was visited in the spring on 4/3/2003 and again in the summer on 6/26/2003.

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 Fair - 3.0 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Poor - 2.4 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 751 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 2 %
Agricultural Land Use 69 %
Forested Land Use 29 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 4/20 (Poor)
Epifaunal Substrate 3/20 (Poor)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 7/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 50 meters 		6/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 25 meters 		11/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 10 %
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 18.1 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 7.5 mg/L
pH (lab) 6.09
Conductivity 155 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		180.6 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 5 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Eastern Mudminnow 1948
Least Brook Lamprey 78
Tessellated Darter 22
Redfin Pickerel 7
Tadpole Madtom 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Northern Green Frog
Southern Leopard Frog

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Honeysuckle
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 63
Caecidotea Isopod 17
Gammarus Amphipod 7
Hydrobaenus Midge 4
Tubificidae Aquatic Worm 3
Lumbriculidae Worm 3
Dubiraphia Riffle Beetle 2
Cnephia Black Fly 2
Stegopterna Black Fly 2
Enchytraeidae Aquatic Worm 2
Pisidiidae Pill Clam 2
Dytiscidae Predaceous Diving Beetle 1
Nigronia Megaloptera (Dark Fishfly) 1
Nemouridae Nemourid Stonefly 1
Chaetocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Conchapelopia Non-Biting Midges 1
Hydrochus 1
Stagnicola Air Breathing Freshwater Snail 1
Crangonyx Amphipod 1
Tabanus Biting Horsefly 1
Amphipoda Scud 1
Corixidae Water Boatman 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.