MBSS Site Summary for: WEST-104-X-2015

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site WEST-104-X-2015_P-facing-downstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site WEST-104-X-2015_P-facing-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 3/13/2015 and again in the summer on 6/4/2015.

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 - 3.0 / 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 294 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 19.7 %
Agricultural Land Use 28.3 %
Forested Land Use 50.1 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 4/20 (Poor)
Epifaunal Substrate 3/20 (Poor)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 6/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 52 meters 		7/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 23 meters 		11/20 (Suboptimal)
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.


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:
Fish data is unavailable or no fish observed.

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

Crayfish:
Cambarus diogenes

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Multiflora Rose
Norway Maple
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Synurella Amphipod 47
Prosimulium Black Fly 14
Stegopterna Black Fly 14
Limnephilidae Northern Casemaker Caddisfly 9
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 7
Tipula Crane Fly 7
Corynoneura Non-Biting Midges 6
Paraphaenocladius Non-Biting Midges 5
Nemouridae Nemourid Stonefly 5
Diplocladius Non-Biting Midges 4
Simuliidae Black Fly 3
Chrysops Deerfly 3
Zavrelimyia Non-Biting Midges 3
Tipulidae Cranefly 2
Thienemannimyia Group Non-Biting Midges 2
Neoporous Predaceous Diving Beetle 2
Agabus Predatory Aquatic Beetle 1
Cordulegaster Spiketail Dragonfly 1
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 1
Ptilostomis Giant Casemaker Caddisfly 1
Caecidotea Isopod 1
Hydrobaenus Midge 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.