MBSS Site Summary for: ANTI-406-R-2009

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site ANTI-406-R-2009-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site ANTI-406-R-2009-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on Antietam Creek in the Antietam Creek watershed, 8-digit code: 02140502.
This stream was visited in the spring on 4/27/2009 and again in the summer on 8/11/2009.

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 - 3.0 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Poor - 2.0 / 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 61,113 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 14.4 %
Agricultural Land Use 43.6 %
Forested Land Use 41.7 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 18/20 (Optimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 10/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 18/20 (Optimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 66 meters 		17/20 (Optimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 33 meters 		16/20 (Optimal)
Shading 40 %
Embeddedness 35 %
Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Optimal' at this location.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 21.6 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 8.7 mg/L
pH (lab) 8.02
Conductivity 447 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		2200.1 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.7466 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 16 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blacknose Dace 1214
Longnose Dace 599
White Sucker 203
Spottail Shiner 186
Cutlip Minnow 70
Bluntnose Minnow 64
Common Shiner 24
Fantail Darter 10
Northern Hogsucker 9
Creek Chub 6
Rainbow Trout 6
Spotfin Shiner 5
Greenside Darter 3
Brown Trout 2
Potomac Sculpin 2
Blue Ridge Sculpin 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Eastern American Toad

Crayfish:
Orconectes rusticus
Orconectes virilis

Exotic Plants:
Garlic Mustard
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Hops
Japanese Stiltgrass
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Naididae Aquatic Worm 87
Cricotopus Non-Biting Midges 15
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 15
Stenelmis Beetle 9
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 6
Ceratopsyche 5
Micropsectra Non-Biting Midges 4
Simulium Black Fly 4
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 3
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 2
Hemerodromia Tiny Fly 2
Orthocladiinae Midge 2
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 2
Brillia Non-Biting Midges 1
Antocha Crane Fly 1
Girardia Freshwater Flatworm 1
Prostoma Freshwater Nemertean (Ribbon Worm) 1
Maccaffertium March Brown And Cahill Mayfly 1
Psephenus Water Penny 1
Polypedilum 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.