MBSS Site Summary for: TUCK-203-R-2017

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site TUCK-203-R-2017-MidpointLookingDownstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site TUCK-203-R-2017-MidpointLookingUpstream (Opens in a new window)

Located on Highfield Creek in the Tuckahoe Creek watershed, 8-digit code: 02130405.
This stream was visited in the spring on 4/27/2017 and again in the summer on 6/14/2017.

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 - 4.0 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Fair - 3.9 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 3,597 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 9.8 %
Agricultural Land Use 72.7 %
Forested Land Use 17 %


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 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 45 meters 		12/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 30 meters 		11/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 65 %
Embeddedness 40 %


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 7.02
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		649.1 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 7.266 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 12 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Fallfish 33
American Eel 28
Eastern Mudminnow 26
Tessellated Darter 23
Pumpkinseed 9
Chain Pickerel 5
Least Brook Lamprey 5
Tadpole Madtom 2
Green Sunfish 1
Lepomis Hybrid 1
Pirate Perch 1
Redbreast Sunfish 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Cope's Gray Treefrog
Northern Green Frog
Pickerel Frog
Southern Leopard Frog

Crayfish:
Orconectes limosus

Exotic Plants:
Garlic Mustard
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Knotweed
Japanese Stiltgrass
Multiflora Rose
Phragmites
Privet
Tree Of Heaven
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
MICROPSECTRA Non-Biting Midges 47
POLYPEDILUM Non-Biting Midges 43
HETEROCLOEON 19
SIMULIUM Black Fly 5
ORTHOCLADIUS Non-Biting Midges 5
THIENEMANNIMYIA GROUP Non-Biting Midges 5
TANYTARSUS Non-Biting Midges 4
CRICOTOPUS Non-Biting Midges 4
PARAKIEFFERIELLA European Non-Biting Midge 2
ORTHOCLADIINAE Midge 2
BRILLIA Non-Biting Midges 2
TANYTARSINI Non-Biting Midges 2
TVETENIA Non-Biting Midges 1
CORYNONEURA Non-Biting Midges 1
GONIOBASIS 1
PARAMETRIOCNEMUS 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.