MBSS Site Summary for: LCON-209-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 8/31/2004.

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 - 4.7 / 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 7,755 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 7 %
Agricultural Land Use 39 %
Forested Land Use 53 %


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 10/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 8/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 43 meters 		7/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 41 meters 		11/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 20 %
Embeddedness 40 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 23.7 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 7.1 mg/L
pH (lab) 8
Conductivity 439 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		1393 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 19 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Fantail Darter 1102
Blacknose Dace 1024
Bluntnose Minnow 451
Central Stoneroller 385
White Sucker 129
Northern Hogsucker 82
Longnose Dace 76
Greenside Darter 60
Potomac Sculpin 59
Swallowtail Shiner 18
Creek Chub 12
Tessellated Darter 12
Smallmouth Bass 9
Cutlip Minnow 6
Redbreast Sunfish 3
Fallfish 2
Yellow Bullhead 2
Green Sunfish 1
Spottail Shiner 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Eastern Gartersnake

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Canada Thistle
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 61
Baetis Blue-Winged Olive Mayfly 10
Stenelmis Beetle 8
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 5
Simulium Black Fly 3
Leuctra  Rolled-Winged Stonefly 3
Chelifera Aquatic Dance Fly 2
Neophylax Caddisfly 2
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 2
Nemouridae Nemourid Stonefly 2
Hemerodromia Tiny Fly 1
Cricotopus Non-Biting Midges 1
Micropsectra Non-Biting Midges 1
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 1
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 1
Thienemannimyia group Non-Biting Midges 1
Antocha Crane Fly 1
Chimarra Fingernet Caddisfly 1
Leptoxis Freshwater Snail 1
Orthocladiinae Midge 1
Diamesa Bloodworm 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.