MBSS Site Summary for: NANJ-301-H-2007

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site NANJ-301-H-2007-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site NANJ-301-H-2007-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on Nanjemoy Creek in the Nanjemoy Creek watershed, 8-digit code: 02140110.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/28/2007 and again in the summer on 7/10/2007.

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 - 4.3 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Good - 4.7 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 10,417 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 2.2 %
Agricultural Land Use 13.5 %
Forested Land Use 82.1 %


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 9/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 68 meters
10/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 17 meters
10/20 (Marginal)
Shading 95 %
Embeddedness 50 %


Stream Water Quality:

Water temperature 24.3 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 3.8 mg/L
Dissolved oxygen levels measured in the stream were very low (3.8 mg/L). Many fishes and other aquatic animals cannot tolerate low levels of oxygen in the water.
pH (lab) 6.59
Conductivity 56 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity)
179.6 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 10.4219 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
American Eel 22
Tessellated Darter 17
Least Brook Lamprey 16
Redbreast Sunfish 12
Sea Lamprey 8
Brown Bullhead 5
Pumpkinseed 5
Creek Chubsucker 4
Margined Madtom 4
Bluegill 2
Chain Pickerel 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:

Northern Green Frog
Northern Spring Peeper
Pickerel Frog

Crayfish:

Orconectes limosus
Procambarus clarkii

Exotic Plants:

Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:

Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 13
Sphaerium Fingernail Clam 9
Gammarus Amphipod 9
Simuliidae Black Fly 7
Stempellinella Non-Biting Midges 7
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 5
Ablabesmyia Non-Biting Midge 4
Triaenodes Long-Horned Caddisfly 4
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 4
Campeloma 3
Ancyronyx Spider Riffle Beetle 3
Acerpenna Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 3
Thienemannimyia Non-Biting Midges 2
Probezzia Biting Midges 2
Hyalella Amphipod 2
Synurella Amphipod 2
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 2
Rheocricotopus Non-Biting Midges 2
Rheosmittia Non-Biting Midges 2
Stenacron Mayfly 2
Coenagrionidae Narrowwinged Damselfly 2
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 2
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 2
Hydrobiidae Pebble Snail 2
Dubiraphia Riffle Beetle 1
Macronychus Riffle Beetle 1
Ferrissia Small Air-Breathing Freshwater Limpets 1
Dicrotendipes Non-Biting Midges 1
Tanypodinae Non-Biting Midges 1
Hydrobaenus Midge 1
Stenelmis Beetle 1
Gomphidae Clubtail Dragonfly 1
Stylogomphus Clubtail Dragonfly 1
Musculium Fingernail Clam 1
Paralauterborniella 1
Ptilostomis Giant Casemaker Caddisfly 1
Pycnopsyche Great Autumn Brown Sedge Caddisfly 1
Caecidotea Isopod 1
Tribelos Non-Biting Midges 1
Boyeria Spotted Darner Dragonfly 1
Polycentropodidae Trupetnet And Tubemaking Caddisfly 1
Polycentropus Tube Maker Caddisfly 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.