MBSS Site Summary for: COCA-121-N-2004


Located on POTOMAC R UT 12 in the Potomac River WA Cnty watershed, 8-digit code: 02140501.
This stream was visited in the spring on 4/22/2004 and again in the summer on 7/8/2004.

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 Poor - 1.0 / 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 418 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 11 %
Agricultural Land Use 27 %
Forested Land Use 63 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 3/20 (Poor)
Epifaunal Substrate 2/20 (Poor)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 2/20 (Poor)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 13 meters 		7/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 0 meters 		0/20 (Poor)
Shading 90 %
Embeddedness 30 %
Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Poor' at this location.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 20 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 1.3 mg/L
Dissolved oxygen levels measured in the stream were very low (1.3 mg/L). Many fishes and other aquatic animals cannot tolerate low levels of oxygen in the water.
pH (lab) 7.04
Conductivity 360 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		1344 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 14.4 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 1 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Green Sunfish 2
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
No amphibians and reptiles noted.

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Stiltgrass
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 50
Leptophlebia Pronggilled Mayfly 29
Diamesa Bloodworm 10
Gammarus Amphipod 8
Caecidotea Isopod 4
Orthocladiinae Midge 4
Chaetocladius Non-Biting Midges 3
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 2
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 2
Simuliidae Black Fly 2
Hydrobaenus Midge 2
Hexatoma Crane Fly 2
Girardia Freshwater Flatworm 2
Enchytraeidae Aquatic Worm 1
Naididae Aquatic Worm 1
Tubificidae Aquatic Worm 1
Micropsectra 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.