MBSS Site Summary for: NCRW-113-N-2004


Located on STILL CREEK in the Anacostia River watershed, 8-digit code: 02140205.
This stream was visited in the spring on 4/27/2004 and again in the summer on 8/30/2004.

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 Poor - 2.4 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 1,956 acres A highly channelized urban stream with concrete banks. An example of a highly channelized urban stream.
Urban Land Use 55 %
Agricultural Land Use 2 %
Forested Land Use 39 %


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 9/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 68 meters 		16/20 (Optimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 12 meters 		8/20 (Marginal)
Shading 92 %
Embeddedness 40 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 23.9 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 5.5 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.29
Conductivity 358 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		842.9 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 7.3 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
Blacknose Dace 120
Tessellated Darter 38
Mummichog 32
Creek Chub 19
Swallowtail Shiner 19
White Sucker 17
Longnose Dace 10
Pumpkinseed 9
American Eel 8
Bluegill 3
Goldfish 3
Cutlip Minnow 2
Largemouth Bass 1
Redbreast Sunfish 1
Rosyside Dace 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Stiltgrass
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 27
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 25
Cricotopus Non-Biting Midges 11
Tubificidae Aquatic Worm 5
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 4
Orthocladiinae Midge 3
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 2
Hemerodromia Tiny Fly 2
Chironomus Non-Biting Midges 2
Thienemannimyia Non-Biting Midges 2
Lumbriculidae Worm 2
Tanypodinae Non-Biting Midges 1
Hydrophilidae Water Scavenger Beetle 1
Limnodrilus Worm 1
Ironoquia Northern Caddisfly 1
Ancyronyx Spider Riffle Beetle 1
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Brillia Non-Biting Midges 1
Prostoma Freshwater Nemertean (Ribbon Worm) 1
Cryptochironomus Non-Biting Midges 1
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 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.