MBSS Site Summary for: COCA-203-N-2003

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site COCA-203-N-2003-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site COCA-203-N-2003-3 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site COCA-203-N-2003-2 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site COCA-203-N-2003-4 (Opens in a new window)

Located on DITCH RUN in the Potomac River WA Cnty watershed, 8-digit code: 02140501.
This stream was visited in the spring on 4/16/2003 and again in the summer on 7/29/2003.

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 Good - 4.0 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Poor - 2.8 / 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 3,017 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 7 %
Agricultural Land Use 58 %
Forested Land Use 36 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 41 meters 		11/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 36 meters 		13/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 93 %
Embeddedness 30 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 19.8 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 7.5 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.38
Conductivity 162 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		269.4 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 2.2 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 20 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Bluntnose Minnow 28
Creek Chub 22
Green Sunfish 22
Yellow Bullhead 15
Blacknose Dace 12
Spotfin Shiner 11
White Sucker 10
Common Shiner 7
Margined Madtom 6
Bluegill 5
Tessellated Darter 4
Central Stoneroller 3
Creek Chubsucker 3
Fantail Darter 3
Golden Shiner 3
Largemouth Bass 3
Rainbow Darter 2
Longnose Dace 1
Redbreast Sunfish 1
River Chub 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Northern Green Frog

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Stiltgrass
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Hydrobaenus Midge 60
Leuctridae Rolledwinged Stonefly 18
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 11
Caecidotea Isopod 4
Leptophlebiidae Pronggilled Mayfly 3
Philopotamidae Fingernet Caddisfly 3
Ameletus Combmouthed Minnow Mayfly 2
Clioperla Green-Winged Stonefly 2
Ormosia Cranefly 1
Empididae Dance Fly 1
Heptageniidae Flathead Mayfly 1
Crangonyx Amphipod 1
Enchytraeidae Aquatic Worm 1
Naididae Aquatic Worm 1
Tubificidae Aquatic Worm 1
Stenelmis Beetle 1
Diamesa Bloodworm 1
Neophylax Caddisfly 1
Planorbidae Ramshorn Snail 1
Dolichopodidae Long-Legged Fly 1
Acentrella Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 1
Lumbriculidae Worm 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.