MBSS Site Summary for: MATT-316-A-2012

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site MATT-316-A-2012-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site MATT-316-A-2012-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on MATTAWOMAN CREEK in the Mattawoman Creek watershed, 8-digit code: 02140111.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/6/2012 and again in the summer on 7/19/2012.

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 - 3.7 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Fair - 3.9 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 16,612 acres A highly channelized urban stream with concrete banks. An example of a highly channelized urban stream.
Urban Land Use 25.2 %
Agricultural Land Use 12.6 %
Forested Land Use 57.6 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 8/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 3/20 (Poor)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 75 meters 		15/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 0 meters 		0/20 (Poor)
Shading 15 %
Embeddedness 80 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 80%. This is relatively high, and may exclude some biota.


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 6.82
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		193.9 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 6.9016 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
Bluegill 1393
Pumpkinseed 146
Eastern Mosquitofish 131
Golden Shiner 77
American Eel 73
Chain Pickerel 30
Largemouth Bass 23
Creek Chubsucker 20
Eastern Mudminnow 16
Northern Snakehead 13
Green Sunfish 7
Redfin Pickerel 4
Sea Lamprey 4
Yellow Bullhead 4
Redbreast Sunfish 2
White Sucker 2
Black Crappie 1
Brown Bullhead 1
Lepomis Hybrid 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Cope's Gray Treefrog
Eastern Snapping Turtle
Northern Green Frog
Northern Water Snake
Pickerel Frog
Southern Leopard Frog
Stinkpot

Crayfish:
Procambarus clarkii

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Honeysuckle
Oriental Bittersweet
Wineberry
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Caecidotea Isopod 23
Hyalella Amphipod 21
Siphlonurus Gray Drake Mayfly 16
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 7
Paratanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 7
Dicrotendipes Non-Biting Midges 5
Synurella Amphipod 5
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 4
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 3
Physa Air-Breathing Freshwater Snail 3
Crangonyx Amphipod 2
Ischnura 2
Gomphus Clubtail Dragonfly 2
Ablabesmyia Non-Biting Midge 2
Cryptochironomus Non-Biting Midges 1
Labrundinia Non-Biting Midges 1
Glyptotendipes 1
Hydrobaenus Midge 1
Orthocladiinae Midge 1
Stenochironomus European Non-Biting Midge 1
Musculium Fingernail Clam 1
Menetus Air Breathing Freshwater Snail 1
Thienemanniella Non-Biting Midges 1
Thienemannimyia Group Non-Biting Midges 1
PISIDIIDAE Pill Clam 1
Rheotanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 1
Stempellinella Non-Biting Midges 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.