MBSS Site Summary for: NANJ-331-S-2017

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site NANJ-331-S-2017-MidpointPDownstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site NANJ-331-S-2017-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 3/6/2017 and again in the summer on 9/12/2017.

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 - 3.0 / 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 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 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 16/20 (Optimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 67 meters 		16/20 (Optimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 17 meters 		14/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 85 %
Embeddedness 55 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 55%. This is relatively high, and may exclude some biota.


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 6.81
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		160 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 2.8985 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 15 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Tessellated Darter 43
Creek Chub 32
American Eel 17
Blacknose Dace 16
Green Sunfish 13
Eastern Mudminnow 12
White Sucker 9
Eastern Mosquitofish 8
Rosyside Dace 3
Yellow Bullhead 3
Least Brook Lamprey 2
Pumpkinseed 2
Redbreast Sunfish 2
Sea Lamprey 2
Golden Shiner 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Northern Green Frog
Pickerel Frog
Southern Leopard Frog

Crayfish:
Cambarus bartonii bartonii
Orconectes limosus
Procambarus clarkii

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
ISOPERLA Stripetail Stonefly 18
ACERPENNA Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 14
PROSTOIA Spring Stonefly 9
EPHEMERELLA Sulphur Mayfly 8
OULIMNIUS Riffle Beetle 8
NEMOURIDAE Nemourid Stonefly 7
PERLODIDAE Perlodid Stonefly 6
STROPHOPTERYX Early Brown Stonefly 6
AMPHINEMURA Spring Stonefly 5
SIMULIUM Black Fly 4
CHLOROPERLIDAE Green Stonefly 3
CAECIDOTEA Isopod 3
TAENIOPTERYGIDAE Winter Stonefly 3
LUMBRICULIDAE Worm 2
HYDROBAENUS Midge 2
PSILOTRETA Mortarjoint Casemaker Caddisfly 2
OPTIOSERVUS Riffle Beetle 2
ORTHOCLADIUS Non-Biting Midges 2
POLYPEDILUM Non-Biting Midges 2
NEOPHYLAX Caddisfly 2
STENELMIS Beetle 2
BEZZIA Biting Midge 1
PROSIMULIUM Black Fly 1
AMELETUS Combmouthed Minnow Mayfly 1
CLIOPERLA Green-Winged Stonefly 1
PARAKIEFFERIELLA European Non-Biting Midge 1
MACCAFFERTIUM March Brown And Cahill Mayfly 1
SYNURELLA Amphipod 1
ANAFROPTILUM Small Minnow Mayfly 1
CAPNIIDAE Small Winter Stonefly 1
ANCYRONYX Spider 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.