MBSS Site Summary for: CONO-222-R-2016

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site CONO-222-R-2016-MidpointDownstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site CONO-222-R-2016-MidpointUpstream (Opens in a new window)

Located on Troupe Run in the Conococheague Creek watershed, 8-digit code: 02140504.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/23/2016 and again in the summer on 6/7/2016.

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 Poor - 1.8 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 2,618 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 21.1 %
Agricultural Land Use 78.3 %
Forested Land Use 0.5 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 16/20 (Optimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 39 meters 		14/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 37 meters 		13/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 50 %
Embeddedness 60 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 60%. This is relatively high, and may exclude some biota.


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 8.17
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		4722 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 0.7547 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 10 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Potomac Sculpin 120
Blacknose Dace 34
Creek Chub 11
Eastern Mosquitofish 7
White Sucker 7
Rock Bass 3
Bluntnose Minnow 2
Banded Killifish 1
Bluegill 1
Smallmouth Bass 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Northern Green Frog

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Multiflora Rose
Norway Maple
Oriental Bittersweet
Shrub Honeysuckle
Wineberry
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 60
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 16
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 8
Prosimulium Black Fly 5
Micropsectra Non-Biting Midges 3
Diamesa Bloodworm 2
Hydropsychidae Common Netspinner Caddisfly 2
Musculium Fingernail Clam 2
Rheotanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 2
Tanytarsini Non-Biting Midges 2
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 2
Thienemannimyia Group Non-Biting Midges 2
Hemerodromia Tiny Fly 1
Lumbriculidae Worm 1
Thienemanniella Non-Biting Midges 1
Orthocladiinae Midge 1
Nematoda Nematode 1
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 1
Gammarus Amphipod 1
Naididae Aquatic 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.