MBSS Site Summary for: UPCR-101-X-2011

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site UPCR-101-X-2011-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site UPCR-101-X-2011-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on UNICORN BRANCH in the Upper Chester River watershed, 8-digit code: 02130510.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/3/2011 and again in the summer on 6/14/2011.

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 Fair - 3.7 / 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 11,612 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 5 %
Agricultural Land Use 63.3 %
Forested Land Use 31 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 19/20 (Optimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 17/20 (Optimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 16/20 (Optimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 56 meters 		15/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 41 meters 		17/20 (Optimal)
Shading 55 %
Embeddedness 60 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 60%. This is relatively high, and may exclude some biota.
Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Optimal' at this location.


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 6.575
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		223.4 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 10.8425 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 16 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Tessellated Darter 55
American Eel 33
Eastern Mudminnow 22
Green Sunfish 16
Chain Pickerel 10
Tadpole Madtom 10
Margined Madtom 6
Pirate Perch 4
Brown Bullhead 3
Redfin Pickerel 2
Brown Trout 1
Creek Chubsucker 1
Largemouth Bass 1
Pumpkinseed 1
White Sucker 1
Yellow Bullhead 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Northern Green Frog
Pickerel Frog
Redbelly Turtle
Southern Leopard Frog
Wood Frog

Crayfish:
Orconectes limosus

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Stiltgrass
Privet
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Isoperla Stripetail Stonefly 16
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 13
Rheotanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 10
Prostoia Spring Stonefly 9
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 8
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 8
Acerpenna Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 7
Stempellinella Non-Biting Midges 5
Gammarus Amphipod 5
Eurylophella Mayfly 4
Orthocladiinae Midge 4
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 4
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 4
Micropsectra Non-Biting Midges 3
Stilocladius Midge 3
Stegopterna Black Fly 2
Nanocladius Non-Biting Midges 2
PERLODIDAE Perlodid Stonefly 2
Dubiraphia Riffle Beetle 1
Polycentropus Tube Maker Caddisfly 1
LUMBRICULIDAE Worm 1
Paraphaenocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Thienemanniella Non-Biting Midges 1
Thienemannimyia Group Non-Biting Midges 1
Musculium Fingernail Clam 1
Siphlonurus Gray Drake Mayfly 1
Brachycentrus Humpless Casemaker Caddisfly 1
Lepidostoma Little Brown Sedge Caddisfly 1
Triaenodes Long-Horned Caddisfly 1
LEPTOCERIDAE Longhorned Casemaker Caddisfly 1
Maccaffertium March Brown And Cahill Mayfly 1
Procladius Non-Biting Midge 1
Brillia Non-Biting Midges 1
Serratella Mayfly 1
Hydrobaenus Midge 1
Stenelmis Beetle 1
Prosimulium Black 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.