MBSS Site Summary for: TUCK-401-A-2012

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site TUCK-401-A-2012-25mMarkDownstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site TUCK-401-A-2012-25mMarkUpstream (Opens in a new window)

Located on TUCKAHOE CREEK in the Tuckahoe Creek watershed, 8-digit code: 02130405.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/12/2012 and again in the summer on 7/10/2012.

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 - 5.0 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area No data available 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 No data available
Agricultural Land Use No data available
Forested Land Use No data available


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

Physical Stream Habitat

Instream Habitat 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 6/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 75 meters
17/20 (Optimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 0 meters
0/20 (Poor)
Shading 50 %
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:

No water quality measurements available for this site.

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 15 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
American Eel 78
Redbreast Sunfish 50
Bluegill 30
Eastern Mudminnow 19
Tessellated Darter 11
Chain Pickerel 9
Pirate Perch 7
Largemouth Bass 6
Creek Chubsucker 5
Redear Sunfish 3
Pumpkinseed 2
Swallowtail Shiner 2
Margined Madtom 1
Redfin Pickerel 1
Sunfish (Hybrid) 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:

Eastern Painted Turtle
Eastern Spadefoot Toad
Southern Leopard Frog
Stinkpot

Crayfish:

Orconectes limosus

Exotic Plants:

Multiflora Rose
Oriental Bittersweet
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:

Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Isoperla Stripetail Stonefly 28
Rheotanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 27
Menetus Air Breathing Freshwater Snail 8
Physa Air-Breathing Freshwater Snail 7
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 7
Gammarus Amphipod 5
Acerpenna Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 5
LEPTOPHLEBIIDAE Pronggilled Mayfly 3
Siphlonurus Gray Drake Mayfly 3
Oecetis Long-Horned Caddisfly 3
Eurylophella Mayfly 3
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 2
Maccaffertium March Brown And Cahill Mayfly 2
Rheocricotopus Non-Biting Midges 2
Ablabesmyia Non-Biting Midge 2
TANYTARSINI Non-Biting Midges 2
Ironoquia Northern Caddisfly 1
HYDROBIIDAE Pebble Snail 1
Tanypodinae Non-Biting Midges 1
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 1
Phaenopsectra Non-Biting Midges 1
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Synurella Amphipod 1
Corbicula Basket Clam 1
Simulium Black Fly 1
Crangonyx Amphipod 1
Macromia 1
Nectopsyche 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.