MBSS Site Summary for: WEBR-104-R-2015

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site WEBR-104-R-2015_Midpoint-downstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site WEBR-104-R-2015_Midpoint-upstream (Opens in a new window)

Located on FOLLY BRANCH in the Western Branch watershed, 8-digit code: 02131103.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/19/2015 and again in the summer on 6/8/2015.

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 - 3.3 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 3,863 acres A highly channelized urban stream with concrete banks. An example of a highly channelized urban stream.
Urban Land Use 74.7 %
Agricultural Land Use 0.5 %
Forested Land Use 24 %


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 10/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 68 meters 		11/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 7 meters 		5/20 (Poor)
Shading 5 %
Embeddedness 30 %


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 7.34
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		894.9777 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 7.5776 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 12 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Satinfin Shiner 62
Swallowtail Shiner 50
Redbreast Sunfish 27
Tessellated Darter 15
Pumpkinseed 11
Golden Shiner 9
Green Sunfish 5
Yellow Bullhead 5
American Eel 4
Bluegill 4
Eastern Mudminnow 2
Chain Pickerel 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Cope's Gray Treefrog
Northern Green Frog
Redbelly Turtle

Crayfish:
Orconectes limosus

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Stiltgrass
Mile-A-Minute
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 64
Stenelmis Beetle 9
Thienemannimyia Group Non-Biting Midges 8
Rheotanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 5
Pisidiidae Pill Clam 3
Musculium Fingernail Clam 3
Caenis Mayfly 3
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 2
Pseudochironomus Non-Biting Midge 2
Dicrotendipes Non-Biting Midges 2
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 2
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 2
Coenagrionidae Narrowwinged Damselfly 2
Isoperla Stripetail Stonefly 1
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 1
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Cricotopus Non-Biting Midges 1
Hydrobaenus Midge 1
Physa Air-Breathing Freshwater Snail 1
Hyalella Amphipod 1
Tubificidae Aquatic Worm 1
Simuliidae Black Fly 1
Simulium Black Fly 1
Calopteryx Damselfly 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.