MBSS Site Summary for: NCRW-305-N-2004


Located on SEVEN SPRINGS RUN in the Potomac River L N Branch watershed, 8-digit code: 02141001.
This stream was visited in the spring on 4/29/2004 and again in the summer on 4/1/2004.

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 Good - 5.0 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Fair - 3.0 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 7,100 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 3 %
Agricultural Land Use 9 %
Forested Land Use 87 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 16/20 (Optimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 7/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 44 meters 		8/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 39 meters 		15/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 70 %
Embeddedness 30 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 18.7 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 7.1 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.83
Conductivity 230 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		573.5 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 2.1 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 22 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blue Ridge Sculpin 296
Blacknose Dace 251
Bluntnose Minnow 205
Central Stoneroller 171
Rainbow Darter 121
Fantail Darter 115
Potomac Sculpin 97
Longnose Dace 68
Common Shiner 47
White Sucker 37
Greenside Darter 21
Fallfish 18
Golden Redhorse 13
Creek Chub 10
Green Sunfish 5
Tessellated Darter 5
Margined Madtom 3
Spotfin Shiner 3
Northern Hogsucker 1
River Chub 1
Smallmouth Bass 1
Yellow Bullhead 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Northern Watersnake

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Leuctra  Rolled-Winged Stonefly 12
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 11
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 10
Psephenus Water Penny 7
Simulium Black Fly 7
Stenelmis Beetle 6
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 5
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 4
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 4
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 3
Antocha Crane Fly 3
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 3
Thienemannimyia Non-Biting Midges 2
Hemerodromia Tiny Fly 2
Isoperla Stripetail Stonefly 2
Lumbriculidae Worm 2
Chironomini Non-Biting Midge 2
Corydalus Dobsonfly 2
Chloroperlidae Green Stonefly 1
Nigronia Megaloptera (Dark Fishfly) 1
Argia Narrow-Winged Damselfly 1
Nemouridae Nemourid Stonefly 1
Diamesa Bloodworm 1
Gammarus Amphipod 1
Cryptochironomus Non-Biting Midges 1
Hexatoma Crane Fly 1
Empididae Dance Fly 1
Polycentropus Tube Maker Caddisfly 1
Optioservus Riffle Beetle 1
Isonychia Slate Drake Mayfly 1
Ferrissia Small Air-Breathing Freshwater Limpets 1
Tanypodinae Non-Biting Midges 1
Tanytarsus 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.