MBSS Site Summary for: PRAL-208-R-2015


Located on POTOMAC RIVER UT in the Potomac River AL Cnty watershed, 8-digit code: 02140508.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/30/2015 and again in the summer on 6/2/2015.

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 Poor - 1.3 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Good - 4.8 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 896 acres A highly channelized urban stream with concrete banks. An example of a highly channelized urban stream.
Urban Land Use 6.9 %
Agricultural Land Use 0 %
Forested Land Use 91.1 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 6/20 (Marginal)
Epifaunal Substrate 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 7/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 44 meters 		6/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 34 meters 		7/20 (Marginal)
Shading 85 %
Embeddedness 15 %


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 7.22
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		212.9 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.8716 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 2 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blacknose Dace 11
Creek Chub 3
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Eastern Gartersnake

Crayfish:
Cambarus
Cambarus bartonii bartonii

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Stiltgrass
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Epeorus Mayfly 17
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 17
Prosimulium Black Fly 16
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 14
Ameletus Combmouthed Minnow Mayfly 9
Cinygmula Dark Red Quill Mayfly 8
Leptophlebiidae Pronggilled Mayfly 8
Micropsectra Non-Biting Midges 6
Leuctra  Rolled-Winged Stonefly 3
Isoperla Stripetail Stonefly 3
Diamesinae Non-Biting Midges 2
Neophylax Caddisfly 2
Chloroperlidae Green Stonefly 2
Lepidostoma Little Brown Sedge Caddisfly 1
Wormaldia Fingernet Caddisfly 1
Rhyacophila Free-Living Caddisfly 1
Perlodidae Perlodid Stonefly 1
Eurylophella Mayfly 1
Hexatoma Crane Fly 1
Pseudolimnophila Crane Fly 1
Ceratopogon Biting Midge 1
Taenionema 1
Yugus 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.