MBSS Site Summary for: ANAC-223-R-2017

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site ANAC-223-R-2017-MidpointDownstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site ANAC-223-R-2017-MidpointUpstream (Opens in a new window)

Located on Northwest Branch of the Anacostia River in the Anacostia River watershed, 8-digit code: 02140205.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/9/2017 and again in the summer on 8/16/2017.

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 Fair - 3.0 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 3,591 acres A highly channelized urban stream with concrete banks. An example of a highly channelized urban stream.
Urban Land Use 38.8 %
Agricultural Land Use 23.5 %
Forested Land Use 35.7 %


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 8/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 48 meters 		11/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 31 meters 		12/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 55 %
Embeddedness 70 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 70%. This is relatively high, and may exclude some biota.


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 7.81
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		753.3 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.7608 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 17 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blacknose Dace 478
Bluntnose Minnow 247
Silverjaw Minnow 102
Fantail Darter 70
Swallowtail Shiner 66
Redbreast Sunfish 55
Creek Chub 39
Longnose Dace 33
Rosyside Dace 29
White Sucker 24
Tessellated Darter 23
Cutlip Minnow 20
Northern Hogsucker 16
Margined Madtom 14
Common Shiner 7
Largemouth Bass 1
Spotfin Shiner 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Northern Green Frog

Crayfish:
Cambarus bartonii bartonii
Orconectes virilis

Exotic Plants:
Garlic Mustard
Ground Ivy
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Mile-A-Minute
Multiflora Rose
Oriental Bittersweet
Wintercreeper
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
CHEUMATOPSYCHE Net-Spinning Caddisfly 32
HYDROPSYCHE Net-Spinning Caddisfly 27
ORTHOCLADIUS Non-Biting Midges 9
OPTIOSERVUS Riffle Beetle 7
RHEOCRICOTOPUS Non-Biting Midges 6
STENELMIS Beetle 6
ANTOCHA Crane Fly 4
GIRARDIA Freshwater Flatworm 4
CHIMARRA Fingernet Caddisfly 3
RHEOTANYTARSUS Non-Biting Midges 3
CORYNONEURA Non-Biting Midges 3
PARAMETRIOCNEMUS Non-Biting Midges 2
NAIDIDAE Aquatic Worm 2
TVETENIA Non-Biting Midges 2
SIMULIUM Black Fly 2
DIAMESA Bloodworm 1
NEOPHYLAX Caddisfly 1
MACCAFFERTIUM March Brown And Cahill Mayfly 1
HYDROPTILA Microcaddisfly 1
THIENEMANNIELLA 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.