MBSS Site Summary for: TUCK-450-H-2007

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site TUCK-450-H-2007-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site TUCK-450-H-2007-2 (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 4/26/2007 and again in the summer on 7/17/2007.

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 - 4.7 / 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 47,725 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 0.5 %
Agricultural Land Use 68.1 %
Forested Land Use 30.1 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 18/20 (Optimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 18/20 (Optimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 75 meters 		18/20 (Optimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 18 meters 		16/20 (Optimal)
Shading 90 %
Embeddedness 45 %
Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Optimal' at this location.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 24 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 6.9 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.01
Conductivity 172 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		387.5 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 6.9253 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 19 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
American Eel 198
Tessellated Darter 155
Redbreast Sunfish 131
Eastern Mudminnow 118
Chain Pickerel 92
Pumpkinseed 76
Fallfish 52
Margined Madtom 47
Swallowtail Shiner 46
Pirate Perch 42
Tadpole Madtom 40
Bluegill 27
Least Brook Lamprey 19
Rosyside Dace 9
Creek Chubsucker 5
Sea Lamprey 3
Largemouth Bass 2
Yellow Bullhead 2
Redfin Pickerel 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Cope's Gray Treefrog
Eastern Snapping Turtle
Fowler's Toad
Northern Green Frog
Pickerel Frog
Southern Leopard Frog
Wood Frog

Crayfish:
Cambarus diogenes
Orconectes limosus
Procambarus acutus acutus

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Honeysuckle
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Caecidotea Isopod 25
Plauditus Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 10
Baetidae Small Minnow Mayfly 8
Parakiefferiella European Non-Biting Midge 8
Musculium Fingernail Clam 5
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 5
Menetus Air Breathing Freshwater Snail 5
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 5
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 4
Physa Air-Breathing Freshwater Snail 4
Gammarus Amphipod 4
Simulium Black Fly 3
Cricotopus Non-Biting Midges 3
Hydroporus Water Beetle 3
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 2
Rheosmittia Non-Biting Midges 2
Isoperla Stripetail Stonefly 2
Heptageniidae Flathead Mayfly 2
Eurylophella Mayfly 2
Ablabesmyia Non-Biting Midge 1
Paramerina Non-Biting Midge 1
Prostoma Freshwater Nemertean (Ribbon Worm) 1
Calopteryx Damselfly 1
Cryptotendipes 1
Perlesta 1
Timpanoga 1
Enchytraeidae Aquatic Worm 1
Bezzia Biting Midge 1
Polycentropus Tube Maker Caddisfly 1
Thienemanniella Non-Biting Midges 1
Hydrobiidae Pebble Snail 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.