MBSS Site Summary for: AL-A-480-205-96


Located on MILL RUN in the Potomac River L N Branch watershed, 8-digit code: 02141001.
This stream was visited in the spring on 4/4/1996 and again in the summer on 6/19/1996.

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 - 1.3 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Fair - 3.5 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 1,105 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 0 %
Agricultural Land Use 19.1 %
Forested Land Use 80.5 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = meters 		14/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 90 %
Embeddedness 35 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 21 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 8.9 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.1
Conductivity 51 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		232.5 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.2 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 2 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blacknose Dace 9
Creek Chub 3
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Eastern Box Turtle
Northern Dusky Salamander
Northern Red Salamander
Northern Two-Lined Salamander

Crayfish:
Cambarus bartonii bartonii

Exotic Plants:
No exotic plants noted.
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Diplectrona Net-Spinning Caddisfly 21
Acerpenna Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 16
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 15
Prosimulium Black Fly 12
Paraleptophlebia Blue Quill Mayfly 9
Hexatoma Crane Fly 5
Isoperla Stripetail Stonefly 4
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 3
Paratanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 3
Acroneuria Golden Stoneflies 3
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 2
Allocapnia Small Winter Stonefly 2
Wormaldia Fingernet Caddisfly 2
Heptageniidae Flathead Mayfly 2
Conchapelopia Non-Biting Midges 1
Leuctra  Rolled-Winged Stonefly 1
Sialis Alderfly 1
Paracapnia Small Winter Stonefly 1
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 1
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 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.