MBSS Site Summary for: ABPG-314-R-2009

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site ABPG-314-R-2009-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site ABPG-314-R-2009-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on Romney Creek in the Aberdeen Proving Ground watershed, 8-digit code: 02130705.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/9/2009 and again in the summer on 9/1/2009.

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 Good - 4.0 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Fair - 3.0 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 7,653 acres A highly channelized urban stream with concrete banks. An example of a highly channelized urban stream.
Urban Land Use 30.3 %
Agricultural Land Use 20.5 %
Forested Land Use 45.1 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 75 meters 		16/20 (Optimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 0 meters 		0/20 (Poor)
Shading 75 %
Embeddedness 90 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 90%. This is relatively high, and may exclude some biota.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 20.3 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 3.4 mg/L
Dissolved oxygen levels measured in the stream were very low (3.4 mg/L). Many fishes and other aquatic animals cannot tolerate low levels of oxygen in the water.
pH (lab) 6.185
Conductivity 70 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		192.8 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 9.1494 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 11 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Eastern Mudminnow 21
Bluegill 15
Pumpkinseed 13
Black Crappie 4
Creek Chubsucker 4
American Eel 2
Brown Bullhead 2
Golden Shiner 2
Green Sunfish 1
Redfin Pickerel 1
Tadpole Madtom 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Northern Green Frog
Northern Spring Peeper
Spotted Salamander
Upland Chorus Frog

Crayfish:
Cambaridae

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

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 14
Hyalella Amphipod 13
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 10
Paratanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 10
Gammarus Amphipod 6
Paramerina Non-Biting Midge 5
Dicrotendipes Non-Biting Midges 5
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 5
Tribelos Non-Biting Midges 5
Ablabesmyia Non-Biting Midge 4
Dubiraphia Riffle Beetle 3
Phaenopsectra Non-Biting Midges 3
Orthocladiinae Midge 3
Caecidotea Isopod 3
Crangonyx Amphipod 2
Coenagrionidae Narrowwinged Damselfly 2
Procladius Non-Biting Midge 1
Nanocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Micropsectra Non-Biting Midges 1
Neureclipsis 1
Sphaeromias 1
Leptoceridae Longhorned Casemaker Caddisfly 1
Hydrobaenus Midge 1
Bezzia Biting Midge 1
Sphaerium Fingernail Clam 1
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 1
Laccophilus Water Beetle 1
Tropisternus Water Scavenger Beetle 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.