MBSS Site Summary for: UPCR-313-R-2015

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site UPCR-313-R-2015_Midpoint-looking-downstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site UPCR-313-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 3/31/2015 and again in the summer on 7/28/2015.

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 Good - 4.0 / 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 9,210 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 7.3 %
Agricultural Land Use 67.7 %
Forested Land Use 24.4 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 17/20 (Optimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 17/20 (Optimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 63 meters 		15/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 12 meters 		16/20 (Optimal)
Shading 40 %
Embeddedness 100 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 100%. This is very high, and may adversely affect biotic communities.
Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Optimal' at this location.


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 6.84
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		356.9 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 3.2734 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
Eastern Mudminnow 63
American Eel 59
Tessellated Darter 15
Pumpkinseed 13
Fallfish 12
Chain Pickerel 8
Redbreast Sunfish 8
Green Sunfish 7
Tadpole Madtom 5
Pirate Perch 4
Bluegill 3
Creek Chubsucker 3
Margined Madtom 3
Least Brook Lamprey 2
Swallowtail Shiner 2
Redfin Pickerel 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Eastern Snapping Turtle
Northern Green Frog
Pickerel Frog
Southern Leopard Frog
Stinkpot
Wood Frog

Crayfish:
Orconectes limosus

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Stiltgrass
Mile-A-Minute
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Prosimulium Black Fly 21
Physa Air-Breathing Freshwater Snail 16
Pisidiidae Pill Clam 15
Rheotanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 8
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 8
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 7
Micropsectra Non-Biting Midges 5
Goniobasis 4
Corbicula Basket Clam 3
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 3
Menetus Air Breathing Freshwater Snail 2
Paratanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 2
Orthocladiinae Midge 2
Stilocladius Midge 1
Psectrocladius Non-Biting Midge 1
Paraphaenocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Gammarus Amphipod 1
Stenelmis Beetle 1
Simulium Black Fly 1
Tanytarsini Non-Biting Midges 1
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 1
Acerpenna Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 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.