MBSS Site Summary for: COCA-111-N-2003

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site COCA-111-N-2003-809 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site COCA-111-N-2003-810 (Opens in a new window)

Located on UT POTOMAC RIVER in the Potomac River MO Cnty watershed, 8-digit code: 02140202.
This stream was visited in the spring on 4/14/2003 and again in the summer on 7/2/2003.

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 - 2.3 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Poor - 2.0 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 426 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 0 %
Agricultural Land Use 43 %
Forested Land Use 56 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 5/20 (Poor)
Epifaunal Substrate 5/20 (Poor)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 6/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 75 meters 		5/20 (Poor)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 1 meters 		3/20 (Poor)
Shading 98 %
Embeddedness 100 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 100%. This is very high, and may adversely affect biotic communities.
Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Poor' at this location.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 18.9 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 6.7 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.11
Conductivity 104 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		485.7 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 2.1 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 11 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Bluntnose Minnow 188
Longear Sunfish 53
Spotfin Shiner 39
Green Sunfish 30
Bluegill 15
Redbreast Sunfish 14
Creek Chub 4
Yellow Bullhead 3
Pumpkinseed 2
Silverjaw Minnow 1
White Sucker 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Eastern American Toad
Eastern Box Turtle
Eastern Red-Backed Salamander
Northern Green Frog
Northern Spring Peeper
Pickerel Frog
Wood Frog

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Spirosperma Aquatic Oligochaete Worm 33
Phagocata 23
Musculium Fingernail Clam 16
Caecidotea Isopod 10
Lumbriculidae Worm 6
Physa Air-Breathing Freshwater Snail 4
Tipula Crane Fly 4
Crangonyx Amphipod 3
Trissopelopia Non-Biting Midges 3
Ironoquia Northern Caddisfly 3
Zavrelimyia Non-Biting Midges 2
Leptophlebia Pronggilled Mayfly 1
Diptera True Fly 1
Hydrobaenus Midge 1
Thienemannimyia group Non-Biting Midges 1
Cura Flatworm 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.