MBSS Site Summary for: FR-P-263-311-96


Located on TUSCARORA CR in the Potomac River FR Cnty watershed, 8-digit code: 02140301.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/12/1996 and again in the summer on 9/27/1996.

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 Fair - 3.7 / 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 10,274 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 3 %
Agricultural Land Use 70.2 %
Forested Land Use 25.9 %


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 4/20 (Poor)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = meters 		16/20 (Optimal)
Riffle Quality 16/20 (Optimal)
Shading 40 %
Embeddedness 50 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 15 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 9.3 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.75
Conductivity 300 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		1893 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 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 18 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Bluntnose Minnow 108
Blacknose Dace 43
White Sucker 41
Longnose Dace 38
Spotfin Shiner 29
Creek Chub 20
Fantail Darter 15
Pumpkinseed 3
Redbreast Sunfish 3
Central Stoneroller 2
Fallfish 2
Rock Bass 2
Rosyside Dace 2
Common Shiner 1
Largemouth Bass 1
Potomac Sculpin 1
Spottail Shiner 1
Tessellated Darter 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
No amphibians and reptiles noted.

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
No exotic plants noted.
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Cricotopus/Orthocladius Midge 47
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 15
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 6
Stegopterna Black Fly 5
Acerpenna Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 4
Thienemannimyia Non-Biting Midges 3
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 3
Prosimulium Black Fly 2
Stenelmis Beetle 1
Chimarra Fingernet Caddisfly 1
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 1
Corynoneura Non-Biting Midges 1
Macronychus Riffle Beetle 1
Optioservus Riffle Beetle 1
Hemerodromia Tiny Fly 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.