MBSS Site Summary for: ANAC-327-R-2004

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site ANAC-327-R-2004-16 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site ANAC-327-R-2004-17 (Opens in a new window)

Located on NORTHWEST BR ANACOSTIA R in the Anacostia River watershed, 8-digit code: 02140205.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/2/2004 and again in the summer on 6/28/2004.

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 - 3.3 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Poor - 1.7 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
(Hint: Screen readers will announce definitions; mouse users can hover over dotted text.)
Catchment area 9,823 acres Cows standing in a stream at a site with high agricultural land use. Cows survey the sampling procedure at this extreme example of a highly agriculturalized site.
Urban Land Use 24 %
Agricultural Land Use 45 %
Forested Land Use 30 %


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 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 60 meters 		15/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 15 meters 		13/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 90 %
Embeddedness 55 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 55%. This is relatively high, and may exclude some biota.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 19.4 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 8.8 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.74
Conductivity 223 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		857.3 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 2.2 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 14 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Bluntnose Minnow 120
Silverjaw Minnow 33
White Sucker 33
Blacknose Dace 19
Common Shiner 13
Spottail Shiner 11
Swallowtail Shiner 10
Tessellated Darter 10
Satinfin Shiner 8
Cutlip Minnow 7
Redbreast Sunfish 7
Creek Chub 4
Fantail Darter 3
Rosyside Dace 2
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Eastern American Toad
Eastern Box Turtle
Northern Green Frog
Northern Spring Peeper
Northern Two-Lined Salamander

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Mile-A-Minute
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Crangonyx Amphipod 37
Hydrobaenus Midge 29
Caecidotea Isopod 9
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 9
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 8
Thienemannimyia group Non-Biting Midges 7
Paratanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 4
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 3
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 3
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 3
Zavrelimyia Non-Biting Midges 2
Coenagrionidae Narrowwinged Damselfly 2
Calopteryx Damselfly 2
Stenochironomus European Non-Biting Midge 1
Tipula Crane Fly 1
Argia Narrow-Winged Damselfly 1
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Brillia Non-Biting Midges 1
Nigronia Megaloptera (Dark Fishfly) 1
Sympotthastia Non-Biting Midges 1
Tribelos Non-Biting Midges 1
Capniidae Small Winter 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.