MBSS Site Summary for: CH-S-039-203-95


Located on POMONKEY CR UT1 in the Potomac River M tidal watershed, 8-digit code: 02140102.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/7/1995 and again in the summer on 6/14/1995.

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 Good - 4.7 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Good - 4.4 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 1,881 acres A highly channelized urban stream with concrete banks. An example of a highly channelized urban stream.
Urban Land Use 11.7 %
Agricultural Land Use 6.8 %
Forested Land Use 81.4 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 16/20 (Optimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = meters 		13/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 90 %
Embeddedness 30 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 19.7 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 7.9 mg/L
pH (lab) 6.89
Conductivity 127 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		165.6 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 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 13 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Rosyside Dace 61
Blacknose Dace 49
Creek Chub 30
Eastern Mudminnow 26
Creek Chubsucker 19
American Eel 16
Pumpkinseed 14
Bluegill 10
Least Brook Lamprey 8
Spottail Shiner 4
Yellow Bullhead 4
Tessellated Darter 2
Redbreast Sunfish 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Northern Green Frog
Northern Two-Lined Salamander
Pickerel Frog

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
No exotic plants noted.
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 31
Prosimulium Black Fly 25
Stegopterna Black Fly 18
Shipsa 16
Tipula Crane Fly 4
Thienemanniella Non-Biting Midges 4
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 3
Paratanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 2
Oulimnius Riffle Beetle 2
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 2
Micropsectra Non-Biting Midges 2
Acerpenna Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 2
Pycnopsyche Great Autumn Brown Sedge Caddisfly 1
Neophylax Caddisfly 1
Simulium Black Fly 1
Isoperla Stripetail Stonefly 1
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 1
Leuctridae Rolledwinged Stonefly 1
Capniidae Small Winter Stonefly 1
Thienemannimyia Non-Biting Midges 1
Optioservus Riffle Beetle 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.