MBSS Site Summary for: UPCR-208-S-2014

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site UPCR-208-S-2014-MidpointDownstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site UPCR-208-S-2014-MidpointUpstream (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 3/12/2014 and again in the summer on 8/19/2014.

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 - 3.3 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Fair - 3.0 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 10,630 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 4 %
Agricultural Land Use 30.8 %
Forested Land Use 64 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 8/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 74 meters 		12/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 1 meters 		2/20 (Poor)
Shading 90 %
Embeddedness 90 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 90%. This is relatively high, and may exclude some biota.


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 6.17
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		101.1 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 9.3582 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 10 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Tessellated Darter 44
Tadpole Madtom 25
Eastern Mudminnow 14
Redfin Pickerel 10
Green Sunfish 9
Pirate Perch 7
Yellow Bullhead 7
American Eel 4
Golden Shiner 4
Largemouth Bass 3
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
New Jersey Chorus Frog
Northern Green Frog
Northern Spring Peeper
Pickerel Frog

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Multiflora Rose
Tree Of Heaven
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Prosimulium Black Fly 31
Cnephia Black Fly 19
Hydrobaenus Midge 9
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 9
Paraphaenocladius Non-Biting Midges 4
Thienemannimyia Group Non-Biting Midges 4
Caecidotea Isopod 4
Synurella Amphipod 4
Stegopterna Black Fly 4
Simulium Black Fly 3
Orthocladiinae Midge 3
Diplocladius Non-Biting Midges 3
Tanypodinae Non-Biting Midges 2
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 2
Pisidium Freshwater Pea (Pill) Clam 2
Hyalella Amphipod 2
Sialis Alderfly 1
Tipula Crane Fly 1
Stenochironomus European Non-Biting Midge 1
Musculium Fingernail Clam 1
Limnophyes Non-Biting Midge 1
Coenagrionidae Narrowwinged Damselfly 1
Phaenopsectra Non-Biting Midges 1
Limnephilidae Northern Casemaker Caddisfly 1
Taeniopteryx Winter Stonefly 1
Lumbriculidae Worm 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.