MBSS Site Summary for: UPCR-201-A-2008

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site UPCR-201-A-2008-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site UPCR-201-A-2008-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on CYPRESS BRANCH in the Upper Chester River watershed, 8-digit code: 02130510.
This stream was visited in the spring on 4/22/2008 and again in the summer on 8/15/2008.

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 - 4.7 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Good - 4.1 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 12,585 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 0.2 %
Agricultural Land Use 33.1 %
Forested Land Use 66 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 8/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 75 meters 		17/20 (Optimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 0 meters 		0/20 (Poor)
Shading 90 %
Embeddedness 75 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 75%. This is relatively high, and may exclude some biota.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 20.7 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 0.6 mg/L
Dissolved oxygen levels measured in the stream were very low (0.6 mg/L). Many fishes and other aquatic animals cannot tolerate low levels of oxygen in the water.
pH (lab) 6.3
Conductivity 216 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		194.2 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 16.8167 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
Bluegill 98
Creek Chubsucker 74
Redfin Pickerel 63
Golden Shiner 62
Eastern Mudminnow 44
Brown Bullhead 40
Green Sunfish 19
Black Crappie 18
Pirate Perch 16
Pumpkinseed 10
Tadpole Madtom 8
Yellow Bullhead 6
Redbreast Sunfish 5
American Eel 2
Largemouth Bass 1
Least Brook Lamprey 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Eastern Ratsnake
Fowler's Toad
Marbled Salamander
Northern Green Frog
Pickerel Frog
Southern Leopard Frog
Wood Frog

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Autumn Olive
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Simulium Black Fly 59
Caecidotea Isopod 12
Perlidae Common Stonefly 5
Ironoquia Northern Caddisfly 4
Dicrotendipes Non-Biting Midges 3
Prosimulium Black Fly 3
Chironomus Non-Biting Midges 3
Eurylophella Mayfly 2
Paramerina Non-Biting Midge 2
Chaetocladius Non-Biting Midges 2
Triaenodes Long-Horned Caddisfly 2
Neoporus 2
Menetus Air Breathing Freshwater Snail 2
Zavrelimyia Non-Biting Midges 2
Tanypodinae Non-Biting Midges 1
Baetidae Small Minnow Mayfly 1
Ostrocerca Stonefly 1
Isoperla Stripetail Stonefly 1
Stagnicola Air Breathing Freshwater Snail 1
Spirosperma Aquatic Oligochaete Worm 1
Probezzia Biting Midges 1
Hexatoma Crane Fly 1
Ormosia Cranefly 1
Musculium Fingernail Clam 1
Caenis Mayfly 1
Baetis Blue-Winged Olive Mayfly 1
Cricotopus 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.