MBSS Site Summary for: WEBR-213-A-2012

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site WEBR-213-A-2012-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site WEBR-213-A-2012-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on WESTERN BRANCH in the Western Branch watershed, 8-digit code: 02131103.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/19/2012 and again in the summer on 6/28/2012.

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 10,240 acres A highly channelized urban stream with concrete banks. An example of a highly channelized urban stream.
Urban Land Use 69.7 %
Agricultural Land Use 2.5 %
Forested Land Use 26 %


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 6/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 75 meters 		16/20 (Optimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 0 meters 		0/20 (Poor)
Shading 70 %
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) 7.15
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		779.6 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 4.9844 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 20 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Bluegill 60
Pumpkinseed 59
White Sucker 32
Tessellated Darter 22
Redbreast Sunfish 21
American Eel 7
Fallfish 6
Eastern Mosquitofish 4
Black Crappie 3
Gizzard Shad 3
Green Sunfish 3
Yellow Perch 3
Eastern Mudminnow 2
Largemouth Bass 2
Satinfin Shiner 2
Chain Pickerel 1
Creek Chubsucker 1
Golden Shiner 1
Least Brook Lamprey 1
Yellow Bullhead 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Eastern American Toad
Northern Green Frog
Northern Spring Peeper
Pickerel Frog

Crayfish:
Procambarus clarkii

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Mile-A-Minute
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 23
Tribelos Non-Biting Midges 14
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 13
Hyalella Amphipod 13
Hydrobaenus Midge 5
Crangonyx Amphipod 5
Enallagma Narrow-Winged Damselfly 3
Ablabesmyia Non-Biting Midge 3
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 2
TUBIFICIDAE Aquatic Worm 2
Sphaerium Fingernail Clam 2
Cryptochironomus Non-Biting Midges 2
Rheocricotopus Non-Biting Midges 2
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 2
Thienemannimyia Group Non-Biting Midges 2
Dubiraphia Riffle Beetle 2
LIBELLULIDAE Skimmer Dragonfly 1
Potthastia Non-Biting Midges 1
Labrundinia Non-Biting Midges 1
Caenis Mayfly 1
Chrysops Deerfly 1
Campeloma 1
Glyptotendipes 1
Haliplus 1
Ischnura 1
Chironomini Non-Biting Midge 1
Orthocladiinae Midge 1
COENAGRIONIDAE Narrowwinged Damselfly 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.