MBSS Site Summary for: LCON-204-R-2004


Located on LITTLE CONOCOCHEAGUE CR in the Little Conococheague watershed, 8-digit code: 02140505.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/23/2004 and again in the summer on 4/7/2000.

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 - 4.3 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Poor - 2.0 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 3,970 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 3 %
Agricultural Land Use 9 %
Forested Land Use 88 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 10/20 (Marginal)
Epifaunal Substrate 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 10/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 40 meters 		9/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 45 meters 		11/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 72 %
Embeddedness 35 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 20 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 8.1 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.56
Conductivity 142 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		343.3 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 11 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blacknose Dace 529
Blue Ridge Sculpin 420
Fantail Darter 127
Central Stoneroller 71
Creek Chub 25
Longnose Dace 22
Potomac Sculpin 12
Largemouth Bass 3
Greenside Darter 2
White Sucker 2
Smallmouth Bass 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Northern Two-Lined Salamander

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Stiltgrass
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Prosimulium Black Fly 53
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 15
Diamesa Bloodworm 10
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 10
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 6
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 3
Neophylax Caddisfly 3
Acroneuria Golden Stoneflies 2
Leuctra  Rolled-Winged Stonefly 2
Rheosmittia Non-Biting Midges 2
Sympotthastia Non-Biting Midges 1
Tanytarsini Non-Biting Midges 1
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 1
Perlodidae Perlodid Stonefly 1
Stenacron Mayfly 1
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Diamesinae Non-Biting Midges 1
Antocha Crane Fly 1
Simulium Black Fly 1
Stegopterna Black 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.