MBSS Site Summary for: WI-S-041-214-97


Located on FOREST GROVE BR in the Nassawango Creek watershed, 8-digit code: 02130205.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/7/1997 and again in the summer on 7/17/1997.

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 - 2.7 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Poor - 2.4 / 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 1,571 acres Cows standing in a stream at a site with high agricultural land use. Cows survey the sampling procedure at this extreme example of a highly agriculturalized site.
Urban Land Use 1.4 %
Agricultural Land Use 50.8 %
Forested Land Use 47.4 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 4/20 (Poor)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = meters 		15/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality 0/20 (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.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 24.4 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 1 mg/L
Dissolved oxygen levels measured in the stream were very low (1 mg/L). Many fishes and other aquatic animals cannot tolerate low levels of oxygen in the water.
pH (lab) 6.48
Conductivity 300 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		211.9 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 14.6 mg/L

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 7 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Eastern Mudminnow 180
Brown Bullhead 99
Pirate Perch 12
Pumpkinseed 6
Redfin Pickerel 5
Yellow Bullhead 3
Black Crappie 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Eastern Painted Turtle
Stinkpot

Crayfish:
Procambarus acutus acutus

Exotic Plants:
No exotic plants noted.
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 30
Cricotopus/Orthocladius Midge 30
Caecidotea Isopod 11
Gyraulus White Ramshorn Freshwater Snail 6
Zavrelimyia Non-Biting Midges 4
Pisidium Freshwater Pea (Pill) Clam 3
Pseudosuccinea Air Breathing Freshwater Snail 2
Physa Air-Breathing Freshwater Snail 1
Agabus Predatory Aquatic Beetle 1
Hydroporus Water Beetle 1
Ablabesmyia Non-Biting Midge 1
Procladius Non-Biting 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.