MBSS Site Summary for: WEST-108-X-2017

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site WEST-108-X-2017-MidpointLookingDownstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site WEST-108-X-2017-MidpointLookingUpstream (Opens in a new window)

Located on Bluejay Branch in the West River watershed, 8-digit code: 02131004.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/6/2017 and again in the summer on 8/1/2017.

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 N R
Benthic IBI Poor - 1.6 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area No data available A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 13.2 %
Agricultural Land Use 26.4 %
Forested Land Use 56.7 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 9/20 (Marginal)
Epifaunal Substrate 1/20 (Poor)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 2/20 (Poor)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 70 meters 		2/20 (Poor)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 5 meters 		2/20 (Poor)
Shading 75 %
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
No Fish Observed 0
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Common Five-Lined Skink
Pickerel Frog
Wood Frog

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

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

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
ORTHOCLADIUS Non-Biting Midges 45
MESOCRICOTOPUS 36
CERATOPOGONIDAE Biting Midge 8
CAECIDOTEA Isopod 6
SYNURELLA Amphipod 6
HYDROBAENUS Midge 4
ORTHOCLADIINAE Midge 3
RHEOCRICOTOPUS Non-Biting Midges 3
TUBIFICIDAE Aquatic Worm 3
TANYTARSUS Non-Biting Midges 1
LUMBRICULIDAE Worm 1
NEMOURIDAE Nemourid Stonefly 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.