MBSS Site Summary for: NANJ-331-S-2002

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site NANJ-331-S-2002-410 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site NANJ-331-S-2002-411 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site NANJ-331-S-2002-412 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site NANJ-331-S-2002-574 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site NANJ-331-S-2002-575 (Opens in a new window)

Located on MILL RUN in the Nanjemoy Creek watershed, 8-digit code: 02140110.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/14/2002 and again in the summer on 7/3/2002.

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 Good - 4.7 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 6,272 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 2.7 %
Agricultural Land Use 20.4 %
Forested Land Use 75.3 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 7/20 (Marginal)
Epifaunal Substrate 7/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 2/20 (Poor)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 22 meters 		6/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 0 meters 		0/20 (Poor)
Shading 95 %
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 21.5 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 0.3 mg/L
Dissolved oxygen levels measured in the stream were very low (0.3 mg/L). Many fishes and other aquatic animals cannot tolerate low levels of oxygen in the water.
pH (lab) 6.6
Conductivity 140 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		131.5 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 3.1 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 16 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Eastern Mudminnow 142
Brown Bullhead 72
Eastern Mosquitofish 55
Creek Chub 23
White Sucker 9
Margined Madtom 6
Bluegill 5
Creek Chubsucker 5
Rosyside Dace 4
Least Brook Lamprey 3
Yellow Bullhead 3
Pumpkinseed 2
American Eel 1
Golden Shiner 1
Pirate Perch 1
Tessellated Darter 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Eastern Snapping Turtle
Northern Green Frog
Northern Spring Peeper

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Acerpenna Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 30
Oulimnius Riffle Beetle 11
Optioservus Riffle Beetle 10
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 8
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 6
Cricotopus Non-Biting Midges 6
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 6
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 5
Micropsectra Non-Biting Midges 4
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 4
Orthocladiinae Midge 3
Chloroperlidae Green Stonefly 3
Nanocladius Non-Biting Midges 2
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 2
Prostoia Spring Stonefly 2
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 1
Tribelos Non-Biting Midges 1
Paratanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 1
Rheocricotopus Non-Biting Midges 1
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 1
Eurylophella Mayfly 1
Hydrobaenus Midge 1
Synurella Amphipod 1
Ceratopogonidae Biting Midge 1
Gomphidae Clubtail Dragonfly 1
Hexatoma Crane Fly 1
Strophopteryx Early Brown Stonefly 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.