MBSS Site Summary for: PRFR-116-R-2007

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site PRFR-116-R-2007-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site PRFR-116-R-2007-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on Israel Creek in the Potomac River FR Cnty watershed, 8-digit code: 02140301.
This stream was visited in the spring on 4/18/2007 and again in the summer on 7/24/2007.

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 - 4.3 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Fair - 3.3 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 7,471 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 5.6 %
Agricultural Land Use 35.2 %
Forested Land Use 58.9 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 10/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 64 meters 		10/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 28 meters 		12/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 93 %
Embeddedness 40 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 16.9 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 9.3 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.83
Conductivity 180 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		527.5 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.6788 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 17 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blacknose Dace 117
River Chub 90
Rosyside Dace 73
Common Shiner 37
Fantail Darter 29
White Sucker 23
Longnose Dace 16
Greenside Darter 15
Central Stoneroller 12
Creek Chub 12
Green Sunfish 6
Bluntnose Minnow 5
Bluegill 4
Rainbow Darter 4
Margined Madtom 1
Satinfin Shiner 1
Smallmouth Bass 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Long-Tailed Salamander
Northern Dusky Salamander
Northern Green Frog
Northern Two-Lined Salamander
Pickerel Frog

Crayfish:
Orconectes limosus
Orconectes virilis

Exotic Plants:
Garlic Mustard
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Multiflora Rose
Wineberry
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 48
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 18
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 17
Diamesa Bloodworm 4
Clinocera Aquatic Dance Fly 3
Stenelmis Beetle 3
Chimarra Fingernet Caddisfly 3
Rhyacophila Free-Living Caddisfly 3
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 3
Acentrella Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 2
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 2
Macronychus Riffle Beetle 1
Cricotopus Non-Biting Midges 1
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Rheosmittia Non-Biting Midges 1
Stempellinella Non-Biting Midges 1
Hydrobaenus Midge 1
Orthocladiinae Midge 1
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 1
Simulium Black Fly 1
Perlidae Common Stonefly 1
Pseudolimnophila Crane Fly 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.