MBSS Site Summary for: WEST-103-X-2015

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site WEST-103-X-2015_At-P-looking-downstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site WEST-103-X-2015_At-P-looking-upstream (Opens in a new window)

Located on NORTH FORK MUDDY CREEK in the West River watershed, 8-digit code: 02131004.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/12/2015 and again in the summer on 6/1/2015.

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 Poor - 1.0 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Fair - 3.3 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
(Hint: Screen readers will announce definitions; mouse users can hover over dotted text.)
Catchment area 331 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 20.5 %
Agricultural Land Use 28.6 %
Forested Land Use 48.6 %


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 2/20 (Poor)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 2/20 (Poor)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 4 meters 		2/20 (Poor)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 71 meters 		5/20 (Poor)
Shading 85 %
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 1 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Green Sunfish 3
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Cope's Gray Treefrog
Eastern Cricket Frog
Eastern Ratsnake
Eastern Wormsnake
Northern Green Frog
Wood Frog

Crayfish:
Cambarus diogenes

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

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Prosimulium Black Fly 18
Stegopterna Black Fly 18
Synurella Amphipod 17
Nemouridae Nemourid Stonefly 7
Tipula Crane Fly 7
Ostrocerca Stonefly 7
Caecidotea Isopod 6
Tipulidae Cranefly 5
Zavrelimyia Non-Biting Midges 5
Limnephilidae Northern Casemaker Caddisfly 5
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 2
Paraphaenocladius Non-Biting Midges 2
Musculium Fingernail Clam 2
Ceratopogonidae Biting Midge 2
Dolichopodidae Long-Legged Fly 1
Stictochironomus Non-Biting Midge 1
Corynoneura Non-Biting Midges 1
Diplocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Ptilostomis Giant Casemaker Caddisfly 1
Siphlonurus Gray Drake Mayfly 1
Tabanidae Horse Fly 1
Rheocricotopus Non-Biting Midges 1
Neoporous Predaceous Diving Beetle 1
Agabus Predatory Aquatic Beetle 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.