MBSS Site Summary for: WEBR-201-R-2015

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site WEBR-201-R-2015_Midpoint-downstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site WEBR-201-R-2015_Midpoint-upstream (Opens in a new window)

Located on LOTTSFORD 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 6/11/2015.

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 5,965 acres A highly channelized urban stream with concrete banks. An example of a highly channelized urban stream.
Urban Land Use 70.6 %
Agricultural Land Use 2.7 %
Forested Land Use 25.6 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 8/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 7/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 72 meters 		11/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 3 meters 		5/20 (Poor)
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) 7.21
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		692.7 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 6.0004 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
Redbreast Sunfish 30
Tessellated Darter 19
American Eel 11
Eastern Mudminnow 9
Satinfin Shiner 7
Margined Madtom 6
Swallowtail Shiner 5
Least Brook Lamprey 4
Yellow Bullhead 4
Sea Lamprey 3
Fallfish 2
Green Sunfish 2
Bluegill 1
Chain Pickerel 1
Largemouth Bass 1
White Sucker 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Eastern Snapping Turtle
Gray Treefrog
Northern Green Frog

Crayfish:
Orconectes limosus

Exotic Plants:
Garlic Mustard
Japanese Barberry
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Mile-A-Minute
Multiflora Rose
Oriental Bittersweet
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 30
Hydrobaenus Midge 13
Cricotopus Non-Biting Midges 10
Paratanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 7
Dubiraphia Riffle Beetle 6
Tubificidae Aquatic Worm 6
Sphaerium Fingernail Clam 5
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 4
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 4
Orthocladiinae Midge 3
Xylotopus Midge 2
Stenochironomus European Non-Biting Midge 2
Pseudochironomus Non-Biting Midge 2
Dicrotendipes Non-Biting Midges 2
Diplocladius Non-Biting Midges 2
Thienemannimyia Group Non-Biting Midges 2
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 1
Macronychus Riffle Beetle 1
Anafroptilum Small Minnow Mayfly 1
Laccophilus Water Beetle 1
Taeniopteryx Winter Stonefly 1
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 1
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Fossaria Air Breathing Freshwater Snail 1
Physa Air-Breathing Freshwater Snail 1
Hyalella Amphipod 1
Argia Narrow-Winged 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.