MBSS Site Summary for: MILE-212-R-2003

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site MILE-212-R-2003-0904 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site MILE-212-R-2003-0905 (Opens in a new window)

Located on POTTS MILL CR UT1 in the Miles River watershed, 8-digit code: 02130502.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/20/2003 and again in the summer on 6/23/2003.

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 Poor - 2.7 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Good - 4.1 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 1,214 acres Cows standing in a stream at a site with high agricultural land use. Cows survey the sampling procedure at this extreme example of a highly agriculturalized site.
Urban Land Use 11 %
Agricultural Land Use 67 %
Forested Land Use 20 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 9/20 (Marginal)
Epifaunal Substrate 9/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 8/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 20 meters 		9/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 60 meters 		15/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 75 %
Embeddedness 100 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 100%. This is very high, and may adversely affect biotic communities.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 17.5 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 8.4 mg/L
pH (lab) 6.94
Conductivity 202 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		533.1 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 8.9 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 6 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Eastern Mudminnow 402
Bluegill 23
Golden Shiner 3
Tessellated Darter 3
Tadpole Madtom 2
Least Brook Lamprey 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Eastern Box Turtle

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Canada Thistle
Japanese Honeysuckle
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Hydrobaenus Midge 20
Helichus Beetle 13
Thienemannimyia group Non-Biting Midges 8
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 5
Rheocricotopus Non-Biting Midges 5
Synurella Amphipod 5
Caecidotea Isopod 4
Leptophlebiidae Pronggilled Mayfly 4
Pseudorthocladius Non-Biting Midges 3
Pisidiidae Pill Clam 3
Physa Air-Breathing Freshwater Snail 3
Diplocladius Non-Biting Midges 3
Tipulidae Cranefly 3
Tubificidae Aquatic Worm 3
Ceratopogon Biting Midge 2
Prosimulium Black Fly 2
Isotomurus Elongate-Bodied Springtail 2
Micropsectra Non-Biting Midges 2
Tanytarsini Non-Biting Midges 2
Paraphaenocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Paratanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 1
Leptophlebia Pronggilled Mayfly 1
Perlodidae Perlodid Stonefly 1
Capniidae Small Winter Stonefly 1
Acerpenna Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 1
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 1
Stenelmis Beetle 1
Stegopterna Black Fly 1
Pseudolimnophila Crane Fly 1
Tipula Crane Fly 1
Ormosia Cranefly 1
Chaoborus 1
Copelatus 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.