MBSS Site Summary for: WEST-101-X-2014


Located on NORTH FORK MUDDY CREEK in the West River watershed, 8-digit code: 02131004.
This stream was visited in the spring on 4/2/2014 and again in the summer on 9/4/2014.

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 Poor - 1.3 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Fair - 3.9 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 362 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 19.7 %
Agricultural Land Use 26.9 %
Forested Land Use 51.4 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 3/20 (Poor)
Epifaunal Substrate 3/20 (Poor)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 1/20 (Poor)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 75 meters 		6/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 0 meters 		0/20 (Poor)
Shading 90 %
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 'Poor' at this location.


Stream Water Quality:
No water quality measurements available for this site.

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 2 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Golden Shiner 76
Green Sunfish 6
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Common Five-Lined Skink
Eastern American Toad
Eastern Cricket Frog
Northern Green Frog
Northern Spring Peeper
Pickerel Frog

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
English Ivy
Japanese Barberry
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Multiflora Rose
Wineberry
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Pisidiidae Pill Clam 19
Zavrelimyia Non-Biting Midges 14
Phaenopsectra Non-Biting Midges 8
Ceratopogonidae Biting Midge 8
Caecidotea Isopod 7
Tanypodinae Non-Biting Midges 7
Pisidium Freshwater Pea (Pill) Clam 7
Thienemannimyia Group Non-Biting Midges 4
Musculium Fingernail Clam 3
Siphlonurus Gray Drake Mayfly 3
Neoporous Predaceous Diving Beetle 3
Pseudolimnophila Crane Fly 3
Synurella Amphipod 3
Tubificidae Aquatic Worm 3
Physa Air-Breathing Freshwater Snail 2
Hydrobaenus Midge 2
Orthocladiinae Midge 1
Chironomini Non-Biting Midge 1
Diplocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Natarsia Non-Biting Midges 1
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 1
Paraphaenocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Paratanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 1
Sialis Alderfly 1
Hyalella Amphipod 1
Libellula 1
Somatochlora 1
Bezzia Biting Midge 1
Erioptera Cranefly 1
Lumbriculidae Worm 1
Ptilostomis Giant Casemaker Caddisfly 1
Tribelos 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.