MBSS Site Summary for: LCON-207-R-2007

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site LCON-207-R-2007-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site LCON-207-R-2007-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on Little Conococheague Creek in the Little Conococheague watershed, 8-digit code: 02140505.
This stream was visited in the spring on 4/19/2007 and again in the summer on 6/20/2007.

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 - 4.0 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Fair - 3.3 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 6,043 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 3.8 %
Agricultural Land Use 27.6 %
Forested Land Use 67.7 %


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 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 69 meters 		17/20 (Optimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 14 meters 		15/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 60 %
Embeddedness 40 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 23.3 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 7.8 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.5
Conductivity 288 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		525.8 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 2.8242 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 191
Fantail Darter 131
White Sucker 61
Blue Ridge Sculpin 58
Blacknose Dace 47
Creek Chub 37
Central Stoneroller 33
Northern Hogsucker 32
Rock Bass 22
Bluegill 9
Redbreast Sunfish 7
Longnose Dace 6
Greenside Darter 5
Smallmouth Bass 4
Cutlip Minnow 2
Largemouth Bass 2
Potomac Sculpin 2
Fallfish 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Northern Dusky Salamander

Crayfish:
Orconectes virilis

Exotic Plants:
Canada Thistle
Garlic Mustard
Japanese Barberry
Japanese Honeysuckle
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 15
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 9
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 8
Stenelmis Beetle 8
Optioservus Riffle Beetle 7
Tanypodinae Non-Biting Midges 6
Clinocera Aquatic Dance Fly 5
Orthocladiinae Midge 4
Rheosmittia Non-Biting Midges 4
Psephenus Water Penny 4
Thienemannimyia group Non-Biting Midges 3
Diamesa Bloodworm 3
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 2
Cryptochironomus Non-Biting Midges 2
Diamesinae Non-Biting Midges 2
Leptophlebiidae Pronggilled Mayfly 2
Dubiraphia Riffle Beetle 2
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 2
Polycentropus Tube Maker Caddisfly 1
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 1
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 1
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 1
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Chelifera Aquatic Dance Fly 1
Neophylax Caddisfly 1
Antocha Crane Fly 1
Empididae Dance Fly 1
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 1
Caenis Mayfly 1
Ephemera Mayfly 1
Eurylophella Mayfly 1
Hydrobaenus Midge 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.