MBSS Site Summary for: NANJ-331-S-2014

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site NANJ-331-S-2014-MidpointDownstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site NANJ-331-S-2014-MidpointUpstream (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 4/1/2014 and again in the summer on 7/8/2014.

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 - 4.1 / 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 8.3 %
Agricultural Land Use 11.5 %
Forested Land Use 77 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 16/20 (Optimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 68 meters 		16/20 (Optimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 24 meters 		8/20 (Marginal)
Shading 75 %
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) 6.23
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		53.99 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 5.1562 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 17 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Eastern Mudminnow 50
Tessellated Darter 29
White Sucker 22
Blacknose Dace 20
American Eel 16
Bluegill 9
Green Sunfish 9
Largemouth Bass 8
Spottail Shiner 8
Yellow Bullhead 8
Creek Chubsucker 7
Creek Chub 4
Least Brook Lamprey 3
Golden Shiner 1
Redbreast Sunfish 1
Rosyside Dace 1
Sea Lamprey 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Eastern American Toad
Northern Green Frog
Northern Water Snake
Pickerel Frog

Crayfish:
Cambarus bartonii bartonii
Cambarus diogenes
Orconectes limosus
Procambarus clarkii

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Stiltgrass
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 76
Neophylax Caddisfly 8
Pisidiidae Pill Clam 5
Isoperla Stripetail Stonefly 5
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 2
Acerpenna Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 2
Synurella Amphipod 2
Eurylophella Mayfly 2
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Limnophyes Non-Biting Midge 1
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Rheotanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 1
Ironoquia Northern Caddisfly 1
Stenelmis Beetle 1
Caecidotea Isopod 1
Maccaffertium March Brown And Cahill Mayfly 1
Gyrinus Whirlygig Beetle 1
Lumbriculidae Worm 1
Optioservus Riffle Beetle 1
Oulimnius Riffle Beetle 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.