MBSS Site Summary for: UPCR-208-S-2015

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site UPCR-208-S-2015_Midpoint-downstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site UPCR-208-S-2015_Midpoint-upstream (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 3/18/2015 and again in the summer on 8/5/2015.

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.
(Hint: Screen readers will announce definitions; mouse users can hover over dotted text.)
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 8/20 (Marginal)
Epifaunal Substrate 7/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 6/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 60 meters 		7/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 15 meters 		6/20 (Marginal)
Shading 50 %
Embeddedness 100 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 100%. This is very high, and may adversely affect biotic communities.


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 6.2
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		70.7 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 13.0268 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 9 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Tessellated Darter 15
Green Sunfish 7
Golden Shiner 4
Tadpole Madtom 4
Eastern Mudminnow 3
Redfin Pickerel 3
Largemouth Bass 2
Pirate Perch 2
Redbreast Sunfish 1
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 Stiltgrass
Multiflora Rose
Wineberry
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Prosimulium Black Fly 23
Cnephia Black Fly 21
Hydrobaenus Midge 20
Nemouridae Nemourid Stonefly 12
Stegopterna Black Fly 12
Orthocladiinae Midge 7
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 4
Pisidiidae Pill Clam 3
Taeniopteryx Winter Stonefly 3
Ptilostomis Giant Casemaker Caddisfly 3
Enchytraeidae Aquatic Worm 3
Physa Air-Breathing Freshwater Snail 1
Pseudolimnophila Crane Fly 1
Tipula Crane Fly 1
Stenochironomus European Non-Biting Midge 1
Musculium Fingernail Clam 1
Amnicola Freshwater Snail 1
Phaenopsectra Non-Biting Midges 1
Rheocricotopus Non-Biting Midges 1
Limnephilidae Northern Casemaker Caddisfly 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.