MBSS Site Summary for: TUCK-202-H-2010

Site Photos

Located on Norwich Creek in the Tuckahoe Creek watershed, 8-digit code: 02130405.
This stream was visited in the spring on 4/28/2010 and again in the summer on 7/20/2010.

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 - 4.3 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Good - 4.7 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 4,043 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 2.2 %
Agricultural Land Use 72.2 %
Forested Land Use 24.2 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 6/20 (Marginal)
Epifaunal Substrate 8/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 60 meters 		10/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 15 meters 		7/20 (Marginal)
Shading 95 %
Embeddedness 60 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 60%. This is relatively high, and may exclude some biota.


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 7.14
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		998.2 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 6.0654 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 14 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Tessellated Darter 47
Pumpkinseed 28
Fallfish 22
Creek Chubsucker 20
American Eel 17
Swallowtail Shiner 13
Redbreast Sunfish 12
White Sucker 9
Eastern Mudminnow 7
Pirate Perch 7
Bluegill 4
Tadpole Madtom 4
Chain Pickerel 3
Creek Chub 2
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Northern Green Frog

Crayfish:
Orconectes limosus

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Multiflora Rose
Privet
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Acerpenna Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 46
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 14
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 12
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 10
Micropsectra Non-Biting Midges 7
Chironomus Non-Biting Midges 5
Gammarus Amphipod 5
Rheotanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 4
Tanytarsini Non-Biting Midges 4
Thienemannimyia Group Non-Biting Midges 4
Cricotopus Non-Biting Midges 3
Ablabesmyia Non-Biting Midge 2
Brillia Non-Biting Midges 2
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 2
Nanocladius Non-Biting Midges 2
Maccaffertium March Brown And Cahill Mayfly 2
Eurylophella Mayfly 1
Nigronia Megaloptera (Dark Fishfly) 1
Argia Narrow-Winged Damselfly 1
Naididae Aquatic Worm 1
Stenelmis Beetle 1
Simulium Black Fly 1
Gomphus Clubtail Dragonfly 1
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Hydrobiidae Pebble Snail 1
Ancyronyx Spider Riffle Beetle 1
Hemerodromia Tiny Fly 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.