MBSS Site Summary for: TUCK-208-R-2008

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site TUCK-208-R-2008-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site TUCK-208-R-2008-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on MASON BRANCH UT in the Tuckahoe Creek watershed, 8-digit code: 02130405.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/25/2008 and again in the summer on 6/16/2008.

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 - 5.0 / 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 1,238 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 1.8 %
Agricultural Land Use 45.1 %
Forested Land Use 52.3 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 68 meters 		12/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 7 meters 		9/20 (Marginal)
Shading 80 %
Embeddedness 85 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 85%. This is relatively high, and may exclude some biota.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 22.5 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 7.6 mg/L
pH (lab) 6.17
Conductivity 184 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		106.6 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 4.0433 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
Eastern Mudminnow 40
Tadpole Madtom 15
Fallfish 13
Tessellated Darter 13
Redfin Pickerel 11
Creek Chubsucker 10
Margined Madtom 10
Pumpkinseed 6
American Eel 5
Bluegill 5
Pirate Perch 5
Yellow Bullhead 4
Redbreast Sunfish 2
Largemouth Bass 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Northern Green Frog

Crayfish:
Orconectes limosus

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Honeysuckle
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Prosimulium Black Fly 24
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 17
Dicrotendipes Non-Biting Midges 6
Thienemannimyia Group Non-Biting Midges 6
Dubiraphia Riffle Beetle 6
Paratanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 5
Enallagma Narrow-Winged Damselfly 5
Coenagrionidae Narrowwinged Damselfly 4
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 4
Ablabesmyia Non-Biting Midge 3
Calopteryx Damselfly 3
Musculium Fingernail Clam 2
Simulium Black Fly 2
Sialis Alderfly 2
Synurella Amphipod 2
Stenelmis Beetle 2
Pisidiidae Pill Clam 2
Polycentropus Tube Maker Caddisfly 1
Lumbriculidae Worm 1
Ironoquia Northern Caddisfly 1
Paraphaenocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Potthastia Non-Biting Midges 1
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 1
Phaenopsectra Non-Biting Midges 1
Enchytraeidae Aquatic Worm 1
Goniobasis 1
Molanna 1
Stegopterna Black Fly 1
Gomphidae Clubtail Dragonfly 1
Gomphus Clubtail Dragonfly 1
Orthocladiinae Midge 1
Parakiefferiella European Non-Biting Midge 1
Chaetocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Argia Narrow-Winged Damselfly 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.