MBSS Site Summary for: ANAC-401-R-2008

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site ANAC-401-R-2008-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site ANAC-401-R-2008-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on PAINT BRANCH in the Anacostia River watershed, 8-digit code: 02140205.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/24/2008 and again in the summer on 7/30/2008.

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 - 2.0 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Poor - 2.7 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 41,205 acres A highly channelized urban stream with concrete banks. An example of a highly channelized urban stream.
Urban Land Use 51.9 %
Agricultural Land Use 15.4 %
Forested Land Use 30.9 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 6/20 (Marginal)
Epifaunal Substrate 4/20 (Poor)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 9/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 52 meters 		5/20 (Poor)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 62 meters 		7/20 (Marginal)
Shading 75 %
Embeddedness 0 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 22.6 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 4.7 mg/L
Dissolved oxygen levels measured in the stream were very low (4.7 mg/L). Many fishes and other aquatic animals cannot tolerate low levels of oxygen in the water.
pH (lab) 7.33
Conductivity 239 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		667.8 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 3.535 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 83
Spotfin Shiner 36
Longnose Dace 4
American Eel 2
Spottail Shiner 2
Bluegill 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
No amphibians and reptiles noted.

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Garlic Mustard
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Hydrobaenus Midge 39
Cricotopus Non-Biting Midges 19
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 14
Tubificidae Aquatic Worm 9
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 7
Thienemannimyia Group Non-Biting Midges 7
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 3
Thienemanniella Non-Biting Midges 2
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 2
Prostoma Freshwater Nemertean (Ribbon Worm) 2
Nanocladius Non-Biting Midges 2
Cryptochironomus Non-Biting Midges 1
Micropsectra Non-Biting Midges 1
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Antocha Crane Fly 1
Rheocricotopus Non-Biting Midges 1
Rheotanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 1
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 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.