MBSS Site Summary for: NANJ-331-S-2010

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site NANJ-331-S-2010-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site NANJ-331-S-2010-2 (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 4/10/2010 and again in the summer on 7/14/2010.

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 - 3.3 / 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 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 75.4 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 38 meters 		15/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 55 meters 		12/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 95 %
Embeddedness 75 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 75%. This is relatively high, and may exclude some biota.


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 6.515
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		84.6 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 4.1925 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 10 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Eastern Mudminnow 32
Bluegill 8
Pumpkinseed 6
Creek Chubsucker 4
Tessellated Darter 4
Blacknose Dace 3
Least Brook Lamprey 3
Creek Chub 2
Eastern Mosquitofish 2
Sea Lamprey 2
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Eastern American Toad
Northern Green Frog
Pickerel Frog

Crayfish:
Cambarus diogenes
Orconectes limosus
Procambarus clarkii

Exotic Plants:
English Ivy
Garlic Mustard
Japanese Stiltgrass
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 39
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 17
Isoperla Stripetail Stonefly 13
Simulium Black Fly 9
Maccaffertium March Brown And Cahill Mayfly 6
Ancyronyx Spider Riffle Beetle 4
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 3
Leuctra  Rolled-Winged Stonefly 3
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 3
Trissopelopia Non-Biting Midges 2
Eurylophella Mayfly 2
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Diplectrona Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Nanocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Perlidae Common Stonefly 1
Chrysops Deerfly 1
Pycnopsyche Great Autumn Brown Sedge Caddisfly 1
Caecidotea Isopod 1
Lepidostoma Little Brown Sedge Caddisfly 1
Ironoquia Northern Caddisfly 1
Ephemerellidae Spiny Crawler Mayfly 1
Boyeria Spotted Darner Dragonfly 1
Rheotanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 1
Synurella Amphipod 1
Stenelmis Beetle 1
Polycentropus Tube Maker Caddisfly 1
Psephenus Water Penny 1
Diploperla 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.