MBSS Site Summary for: ABPG-113-R-2000

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site ABPG-113-R-2000-10_04 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site ABPG-113-R-2000-10_05 (Opens in a new window)

Located on ROMNEY CR UT1 in the Aberdeen Proving Ground watershed, 8-digit code: 02130705.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/23/2000 and again in the summer on 6/27/2000.

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 - 1.9 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 1,161 acres A highly channelized urban stream with concrete banks. An example of a highly channelized urban stream.
Urban Land Use 32.3 %
Agricultural Land Use 31.8 %
Forested Land Use 35.5 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 16/20 (Optimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 16/20 (Optimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 7/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 75 meters 		8/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 0 meters 		0/20 (Poor)
Shading 7 %
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 26.3 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 3.2 mg/L
Dissolved oxygen levels measured in the stream were very low (3.2 mg/L). Many fishes and other aquatic animals cannot tolerate low levels of oxygen in the water.
pH (lab) 6.76
Conductivity 110 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		353.3 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 7.4 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 3 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Pumpkinseed 26
Mummichog 16
Goldfish 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Eastern Ratsnake
Eastern Snapping Turtle
Southern Leopard Frog

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Physa Air-Breathing Freshwater Snail 34
Crangonyx Amphipod 24
Tubificidae Aquatic Worm 12
Lumbriculidae Worm 7
Pseudosuccinea Air Breathing Freshwater Snail 5
Enchytraeidae Aquatic Worm 5
Pisidiidae Pill Clam 4
Caecidotea Isopod 2
Orthocladiinae 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.