MBSS Site Summary for: AL-A-550-204-96


Located on FROG HOLLOW 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 Fair - 3.7 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Good - 4.3 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 1,631 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 0 %
Agricultural Land Use 12 %
Forested Land Use 87.5 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 9/20 (Marginal)
Epifaunal Substrate 5/20 (Poor)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 8/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = meters 		10/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality 8/20 (Marginal)
Shading 70 %
Embeddedness 0 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 18.4 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 8.3 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.13
Conductivity 147 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		338.8 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 2.3 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
Blacknose Dace 77
Fantail Darter 32
Creek Chub 28
Redbreast Sunfish 7
Blue Ridge Sculpin 3
White Sucker 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Northern Dusky Salamander
Northern Two-Lined Salamander
Northern Watersnake

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
No exotic plants noted.
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 13
Sweltsa Stonefly 10
Prosimulium Black Fly 9
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 7
Optioservus Riffle Beetle 7
Ameletus Combmouthed Minnow Mayfly 6
Cinygmula Dark Red Quill Mayfly 5
Eurylophella Mayfly 5
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 4
Isoperla Stripetail Stonefly 4
Acerpenna Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 3
Rhyacophila Free-Living Caddisfly 3
Chimarra Fingernet Caddisfly 3
Hexatoma Crane Fly 2
Neophylax Caddisfly 2
Ostrocerca Stonefly 2
Prostoia Spring Stonefly 1
Leuctra  Rolled-Winged Stonefly 1
Paraleptophlebia Blue Quill Mayfly 1
Baetis Blue-Winged Olive Mayfly 1
Pseudolimnophila Crane Fly 1
Tipula Crane Fly 1
Caenis Mayfly 1
Hydroptila Microcaddisfly 1
Diplectrona Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Larsia Non-Biting Midge 1
Conchapelopia 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.