MBSS Site Summary for: NANJ-331-S-2013

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site NANJ-331-S-2013-MidpointPdownstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site NANJ-331-S-2013-MidpointPupstream (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 3/20/2013 and again in the summer on 8/12/2013.

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 - 4.0 / 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 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 17/20 (Optimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 59 meters 		17/20 (Optimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 27 meters 		10/20 (Marginal)
Shading 80 %
Embeddedness 85 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 85%. This is relatively high, and may exclude some biota.


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 6.37
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		66.6 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 3.5284 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
Tessellated Darter 72
Eastern Mudminnow 64
Creek Chub 46
White Sucker 38
Golden Shiner 19
Bluegill 10
Creek Chubsucker 9
Yellow Bullhead 9
Green Sunfish 8
Blacknose Dace 7
American Eel 6
Rosyside Dace 5
Eastern Mosquitofish 4
Largemouth Bass 4
Brown Bullhead 2
Least Brook Lamprey 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Eastern Cricket Frog
Eastern Snapping Turtle
Northern Green Frog
Northern Spring Peeper
Southern Leopard Frog
Upland Chorus Frog

Crayfish:
Cambarus bartonii bartonii
Cambarus diogenes
Orconectes limosus
Procambarus clarkii

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 58
Isoperla Stripetail Stonefly 17
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 6
Hydrobaenus Midge 5
Clinocera Aquatic Dance Fly 3
TUBIFICIDAE Aquatic Worm 2
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 2
Neophylax Caddisfly 2
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 2
Thienemannimyia Group Non-Biting Midges 2
Ironoquia Northern Caddisfly 2
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 2
Prostoia Spring Stonefly 1
LUMBRICULIDAE Worm 1
LIMNEPHILIDAE Northern Casemaker Caddisfly 1
Rheotanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 1
Strophopteryx Early Brown Stonefly 1
Prostoma Freshwater Nemertean (Ribbon Worm) 1
Stenelmis Beetle 1
Bezzia Biting Midge 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.