TABLE 5. Macroinvertebrate Bioassessment Data for Blue River 1995. Reference: Mitchell River, North Carolina

Site No.

3

Score

6

Score

7

Score

Reference

Site Location

 White Cloud

 

Rothrock’s Dam

 

Milltown

 

Mitchell River

Taxa Richness, Families

20

 

100%=6

 

14

 

4

 

13

 

          4

 

21 Families

FBI

4.121

100%=6

3.82

6

4.84

6

4.59

 

EPT/Chironomidae

 

1.62

 

17%=0

 

6.18

 

2

 

2.64

 

2

 

9.286

CPOM Community

Shredders/

Total

 

0.12

 

 

0

 

 

.01

 

 

4

 

 

3

 

 

4

 

 

6

 

 

EPT index

7

>100%=6

4

0

7

2

8

% Contribution Dom. Family

18%

6

28%

 

6

 

25%

Blackflies

4

 

34%=3

 

Community Loss

Used as Reference

6

0.65

4

.84

4

6

Ratio of Scrapers

to Filterers

1.35

90%=6

12.71

6

.62

4

1.50

Total Score

 

36

 

30

 

32

45

Analysis: Site 3--36/45=80% Non-impaired. Best situation to be expected within an ecoregion. Balanced trophic structure. Optimum community structure for stream size and habitat quality. Analysis: Site 6 --30/45=66.67% Slightly impaired. Community structure less than expected. Composition (taxa richness) lower than expected due to loss of some intolerant forms. Percent contribution of tolerant forms increases.
Analysis: Site 7--32/45=71.11%. Slightly impaired. Community structure less than expected. Composition (taxa richness) lower than expected due to loss of some intolerant forms. Percent contribution of tolerant forms increases.
Taxa Richness=Site TR/RefTR x 100 >80%=6; 60-80=4; 40-60=2; <40=0
FBI=Site FBI/Ref FBI x 100 >85%=6; 70-85=4; 50-70=2; <50%=0
EPT/Chironomidae=Site Ratio/Ref Ratio x 100 >75%=6; 50-75=4; 50-70=2; <50=0
Shredder Community/Total=>50%=6; 35-50%=4; 20-35%=2; <20%=0.
EPT Index=Site/8 x 100 >90%=6; 80-90%=4; 70-80=2; <70=0
% Contribution of Dominant Family 0-35%=6; 35-50%=4; 50-75%=2; >75%=0
Scrapers/Filterers=Ratio of Site/ Ref Ratio x 100 >50%=6; 35-50=4; 20-35=2; <20%=0
Community Loss (Comparing Site 3 to other sites=<0.5=6; 0.5-1.5=4; 1.5-4=2; >4=0

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