MBSS Site Summary for: UPCR-309-R-2015

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site UPCR-309-R-2015_Midpoint-looking-downstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site UPCR-309-R-2015_Midpoint-looking-upstream (Opens in a new window)

Located on RED LION BRANCH in the Upper Chester River watershed, 8-digit code: 02130510.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/24/2015 and again in the summer on 9/16/2015.

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 - 3.7 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Fair - 3.6 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 14,705 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 7.2 %
Agricultural Land Use 65.9 %
Forested Land Use 26.3 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 16/20 (Optimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 59 meters 		14/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 16 meters 		11/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 60 %
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) 6.91
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		317.7 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 6.4478 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
Pumpkinseed 89
Satinfin Shiner 49
Bluegill 40
Redbreast Sunfish 30
American Eel 29
Tessellated Darter 19
Swallowtail Shiner 11
Tadpole Madtom 10
Chain Pickerel 6
Fallfish 6
Green Sunfish 6
Eastern Mudminnow 3
Eastern Mosquitofish 1
Largemouth Bass 1
Margined Madtom 1
Pirate Perch 1
Sea Lamprey 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Northern Green Frog
Pickerel Frog

Crayfish:
Orconectes limosus

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Stiltgrass
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Prosimulium Black Fly 33
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 27
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 17
Rheotanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 5
Tanytarsini Non-Biting Midges 5
Corbicula Basket Clam 4
Orthocladiinae Midge 3
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 3
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 2
Pisidiidae Pill Clam 2
Maccaffertium March Brown And Cahill Mayfly 2
Ferrissia Small Air-Breathing Freshwater Limpets 2
Diplocladius Non-Biting Midges 2
Isoperla Stripetail Stonefly 1
Lumbriculidae Worm 1
Goniobasis 1
Crangonyx Amphipod 1
Enchytraeidae Aquatic Worm 1
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Macronychus Riffle Beetle 1
Tanypodinae Non-Biting Midges 1
Paraphaenocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Paratanytarsus 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.