MBSS Site Summary for: NANJ-301-H-2011

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site NANJ-301-H-2011-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site NANJ-301-H-2011-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on NANJEMOY CREEK UT in the Nanjemoy Creek watershed, 8-digit code: 02140110.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/9/2011 and again in the summer on 6/30/2011.

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 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 10/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 58 meters 		10/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 19 meters 		12/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 80 %
Embeddedness 50 %


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 5.94
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		49.7 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 13.6394 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
Redbreast Sunfish 74
Brown Bullhead 25
Tessellated Darter 24
American Eel 18
Least Brook Lamprey 13
Margined Madtom 8
Pumpkinseed 8
Tadpole Madtom 5
Creek Chubsucker 4
Chain Pickerel 3
Golden Shiner 3
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Eastern Cricket Frog
Eastern Red-Backed Salamander
Northern Green Frog

Crayfish:
Orconectes limosus
Procambarus clarkii

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Stiltgrass
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Prosimulium Black Fly 88
Acerpenna Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 6
Physa Air-Breathing Freshwater Snail 4
Caecidotea Isopod 3
CAPNIIDAE Small Winter Stonefly 3
Dineutus Whirlygig Beetle 3
Stenacron Mayfly 2
Oxyethira Microcaddisfly 2
Hydrobaenus Midge 2
Leptophlebia Pronggilled Mayfly 2
Gammarus Amphipod 2
Centroptilum Small Minnow Mayfly 2
Stegopterna Black Fly 2
Pycnopsyche Great Autumn Brown Sedge Caddisfly 2
Clioperla Green-Winged Stonefly 1
Ptilostomis Giant Casemaker Caddisfly 1
Crangonyx Amphipod 1
Anisocentropus 1
Campeloma 1
Helius 1
PLANORBIDAE Ramshorn Snail 1
Ablabesmyia Non-Biting Midge 1
Micropsectra Non-Biting Midges 1
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 1
Psephenus Water Penny 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.