MBSS Site Summary for: PRFR-115-R-2004


Located on TUSCARORA CR in the Potomac River FR Cnty watershed, 8-digit code: 02140301.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/1/2004 and again in the summer on 8/3/2004.

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 Poor - 1.7 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Poor - 1.8 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 1,219 acres Cows standing in a stream at a site with high agricultural land use. Cows survey the sampling procedure at this extreme example of a highly agriculturalized site.
Urban Land Use 14 %
Agricultural Land Use 68 %
Forested Land Use 17 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 8/20 (Marginal)
Epifaunal Substrate 9/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 8/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 41 meters 		8/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 37 meters 		10/20 (Marginal)
Shading 87 %
Embeddedness 35 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 21.4 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 7.3 mg/L
pH (lab) 8.46
Conductivity 456 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		1332 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.2 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 3 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blacknose Dace 476
Bluntnose Minnow 17
Rosyside Dace 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Northern Two-Lined Salamander

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Mile-A-Minute
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 30
Simulium Black Fly 16
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 13
Hydrobaenus Midge 7
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 7
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 6
Paraphaenocladius Non-Biting Midges 4
Limnodrilus Worm 4
Micropsectra Non-Biting Midges 3
Thienemannimyia group Non-Biting Midges 3
Orthocladiinae Midge 3
Tanypodinae Non-Biting Midges 2
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 1
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 1
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Ameletus Combmouthed Minnow Mayfly 1
Tipula Crane Fly 1
Girardia Freshwater Flatworm 1
Lumbriculidae Worm 1
Tubificidae Aquatic Worm 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.