MBSS Site Summary for: GA-A-191-322-96


Located on LAUREL RUN in the Potomac River U N Branch watershed, 8-digit code: 02141005.
This stream was visited in the spring on 4/3/1996 and again in the summer on 7/17/1996.

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 - 3.5 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Poor - 2.8 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 5,496 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 0 %
Agricultural Land Use 15.7 %
Forested Land Use 82.2 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 8/20 (Marginal)
Epifaunal Substrate 6/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = meters 		14/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 90 %
Embeddedness 0 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 18 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 7.8 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.21
Conductivity 390 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		233.4 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.3 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 5 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blue Ridge Sculpin 30
Blacknose Dace 11
Creek Chub 8
Brown Bullhead 1
Brown Trout 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Allegheny Mountain Dusky Salamander
Pickerel Frog

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
No exotic plants noted.
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Prosimulium Black Fly 14
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 13
Ostrocerca Stonefly 9
Epeorus Mayfly 9
Leuctra  Rolled-Winged Stonefly 9
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 6
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 5
Naididae Aquatic Worm 2
Rhyacophila Free-Living Caddisfly 2
Pteronarcys Giant Stonefly 2
Acroneuria Golden Stoneflies 1
Neophylax Caddisfly 1
Tipula Crane Fly 1
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 1
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 1
Acerpenna Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 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.