MBSS Site Summary for: UPCR-208-S-2017

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site UPCR-208-S-2017-MidpointLookingDownstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site UPCR-208-S-2017-MidpointLookingUpstream (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 3/28/2017 and again in the summer on 8/17/2017.

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 - 4.0 / 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 8/20 (Marginal)
Epifaunal Substrate 7/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 8/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 65 meters 		12/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 10 meters 		6/20 (Marginal)
Shading 80 %
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) 6.3
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		151.9 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 16.558 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 17 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Bluegill 13
American Eel 12
Tadpole Madtom 10
Redbreast Sunfish 7
Tessellated Darter 7
Yellow Bullhead 6
Pirate Perch 5
Creek Chubsucker 4
Redfin Pickerel 4
Eastern Mudminnow 3
Golden Shiner 2
Largemouth Bass 2
Margined Madtom 2
Bluespotted Sunfish 1
Green Sunfish 1
Mud Sunfish 1
Pumpkinseed 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Northern Green Frog
Northern Spring Peeper
Southern Leopard 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
PROSIMULIUM Black Fly 29
SIMULIUM Black Fly 15
SIMULIIDAE Black Fly 11
TUBIFICIDAE Aquatic Worm 9
CAECIDOTEA Isopod 6
ORTHOCLADIUS Non-Biting Midges 6
ORTHOCLADIINAE Midge 5
TRIBELOS Non-Biting Midges 4
CNEPHIA Black Fly 4
PARATENDIPES European Non-Biting Midge 3
PISIDIUM Freshwater Pea (Pill) Clam 3
OSTROCERCA Stonefly 3
DIPLOCLADIUS Non-Biting Midges 3
NEMOURIDAE Nemourid Stonefly 2
TANYTARSUS Non-Biting Midges 2
NAIDIDAE Aquatic Worm 2
HYDROBAENUS Midge 2
ERPOBDELLA 2
HELOBDELLA 2
HYALELLA Amphipod 1
STEGOPTERNA Black Fly 1
OECETIS Long-Horned Caddisfly 1
SMINTHURIDAE Globular Springtail 1
MUSCULIUM Fingernail Clam 1
RHYACOPHILA Free-Living Caddisfly 1
THIENEMANNIMYIA GROUP Non-Biting Midges 1
PROCLADIUS Non-Biting Midge 1
CORIXIDAE Water Boatman 1
LUMBRICULIDAE Worm 1
NEOPOROUS Predaceous Diving Beetle 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.