MBSS Site Summary for: ABPG-118-R-2014


Located on ROMNEY CREEK UT in the Aberdeen Proving Ground watershed, 8-digit code: 02130705.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/13/2014 and again in the summer on 7/11/2014.

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 - 2.4 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 1,616 acres A highly channelized urban stream with concrete banks. An example of a highly channelized urban stream.
Urban Land Use 55.3 %
Agricultural Land Use 7.3 %
Forested Land Use 32.4 %


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 9/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 3/20 (Poor)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 75 meters
9/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 0 meters
0/20 (Poor)
Shading 30 %
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:

pH (lab) 6.65
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity)
487.5 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 4.067 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 4 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Eastern Mosquitofish 125
Common Carp 31
Eastern Mudminnow 9
Bluegill 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:

American Bullfrog
Northern Green Frog

Crayfish:

Cambaridae
Cambarus diogenes
Procambarus acutus acutus

Exotic Plants:

Autumn Olive
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Mile-A-Minute
Multiflora Rose
Oriental Bittersweet
Tree Of Heaven
Wineberry
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:

Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Paraphaenocladius Non-Biting Midges 39
Crangonyx Amphipod 26
Thienemannimyia Group Non-Biting Midges 11
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 7
Hydrobaenus Midge 5
Stygobromus Amphipod 5
Enchytraeidae Aquatic Worm 4
Limnophyes Non-Biting Midge 3
Paratanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 2
Phaenopsectra Non-Biting Midges 2
Tubificidae Aquatic Worm 2
Ceratopogonidae Biting Midge 2
Coptotomus 1
Physa Air-Breathing Freshwater Snail 1
Naididae Aquatic Worm 1
Tanytarsini Non-Biting Midges 1
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 1
Dicrotendipes Non-Biting Midges 1
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 1
Orthocladiinae Midge 1
Sweltsa Stonefly 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.