MBSS Site Summary for: WEST-110-X-2016

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site WEST-110-X-2016_midpoint looking downstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site WEST-110-X-2016_midpoint looking upstream (Opens in a new window)

Located on Mill Swamp Branch in the West River watershed, 8-digit code: 02131004.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/10/2016 and again in the summer on 7/7/2016.

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 - 2.0 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Poor - 2.7 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 2,596 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 8.8 %
Agricultural Land Use 27.9 %
Forested Land Use 53.2 %


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 5/20 (Poor)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 72 meters 		6/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 3 meters 		6/20 (Marginal)
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 5 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Banded Killifish 12
Mummichog 8
American Eel 2
Bluegill 2
Golden Shiner 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

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

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Garlic Mustard
Japanese Barberry
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Stegopterna Black Fly 30
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 21
Prosimulium Black Fly 18
Diplocladius Non-Biting Midges 8
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 7
Simuliidae Black Fly 7
Gammarus Amphipod 5
Caecidotea Isopod 4
Nemouridae Nemourid Stonefly 4
Chrysops Deerfly 3
Tubificidae Aquatic Worm 2
Physa Air-Breathing Freshwater Snail 2
Ironoquia Northern Caddisfly 2
Limnephilidae Northern Casemaker Caddisfly 1
Cordulegaster Spiketail Dragonfly 1
Nigronia Megaloptera (Dark Fishfly) 1
Parakiefferiella European Non-Biting Midge 1
Tipula Crane Fly 1
Ormosia Cranefly 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.