MBSS Site Summary for: ABPG-115-R-2009

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site ABPG-115-R-2009-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site ABPG-115-R-2009-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on UT Romney Creek in the Aberdeen Proving Ground watershed, 8-digit code: 02130705.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/25/2009 and again in the summer on 7/1/2009.

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 - 1.6 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 402 acres A highly channelized urban stream with concrete banks. An example of a highly channelized urban stream.
Urban Land Use 77.1 %
Agricultural Land Use 2.7 %
Forested Land Use 18.9 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 8/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 72 meters 		15/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 3 meters 		6/20 (Marginal)
Shading 25 %
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 20.6 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 4.8 mg/L
Dissolved oxygen levels measured in the stream were very low (4.8 mg/L). Many fishes and other aquatic animals cannot tolerate low levels of oxygen in the water.
pH (lab) 7.65
Conductivity 167 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		378.8 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.745 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 6 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Mummichog 60
Redfin Pickerel 17
Golden Shiner 7
American Eel 6
Pumpkinseed 3
Brown Bullhead 2
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Eastern American Toad
Eastern Box Turtle
Northern Green Frog

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Garlic Mustard
Japanese Barberry
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Mile-A-Minute
Multiflora Rose
Oriental Bittersweet
Wineberry
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Crangonyx Amphipod 74
Lumbriculidae Worm 14
Menetus Air Breathing Freshwater Snail 9
Girardia Freshwater Flatworm 6
Tubificidae Aquatic Worm 4
Limnodrilus Worm 3
Clinotanypus Non-Biting Midge 3
Dicrotendipes Non-Biting Midges 2
Nanocladius Non-Biting Midges 2
Pisidiidae Pill Clam 2
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.