MBSS Site Summary for: GA-A-470-306-96


Located on LOSTLAND 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 7/2/1996.

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 6,499 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 0.1 %
Agricultural Land Use 11.3 %
Forested Land Use 87 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 17/20 (Optimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 8/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = meters 		18/20 (Optimal)
Riffle Quality 16/20 (Optimal)
Shading 80 %
Embeddedness 0 %
Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Optimal' at this location.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 17.5 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 8.4 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.18
Conductivity 260 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		187.9 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.1 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 3 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blacknose Dace 7
Creek Chub 1
Cutthroat Trout 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
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 23
Ostrocerca Stonefly 12
Sweltsa Stonefly 12
Leuctra  Rolled-Winged Stonefly 8
Pteronarcys Giant Stonefly 8
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 4
Hexatoma Crane Fly 4
Rhyacophila Free-Living Caddisfly 3
Polycentropus Tube Maker Caddisfly 2
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 2
Paraphaenocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Prosimulium Black Fly 1
Ameletus Combmouthed Minnow Mayfly 1
Micropsectra Non-Biting Midges 1
Acroneuria Golden Stoneflies 1
Dicranota Hairy-Eyed Cranefly 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.