MBSS Site Summary for: PRFR-201-X-2016

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site PRFR-201-X-2016_midpoint downstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site PRFR-201-X-2016_midpoint upstream (Opens in a new window)

Located on Little Catoctin Creek in the Potomac River FR Cnty watershed, 8-digit code: 02140301.
This stream was visited in the spring on 4/20/2016 and again in the summer on 6/28/2016.

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 Poor - 2.0 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
(Hint: Screen readers will announce definitions; mouse users can hover over dotted text.)
Catchment area 3,074 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 7.7 %
Agricultural Land Use 69.1 %
Forested Land Use 19.8 %


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 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 54 meters 		15/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 23 meters 		16/20 (Optimal)
Shading 60 %
Embeddedness 40 %


Stream Water Quality:
No water quality measurements available for this site.

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 16 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Longnose Dace 97
Silverjaw Minnow 70
Bluntnose Minnow 62
Blacknose Dace 58
Redbreast Sunfish 44
Yellow Bullhead 41
Common Shiner 38
Green Sunfish 36
Fantail Darter 21
Bluegill 15
Creek Chub 15
White Sucker 7
Central Stoneroller 5
Largemouth Bass 3
Banded Killifish 2
Rock Bass 2
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
No amphibians and reptiles noted.

Crayfish:
Orconectes virilis

Exotic Plants:
Bull Thistle
Garlic Mustard
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Hops
Japanese Stiltgrass
Mile-A-Minute
Multiflora Rose
Shrub Honeysuckle
Tree Of Heaven
Wineberry
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 39
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 27
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 12
Stenelmis Beetle 8
Orthocladiinae Midge 7
Naididae Aquatic Worm 6
Thienemannimyia Group Non-Biting Midges 6
Simulium Black Fly 4
Parakiefferiella European Non-Biting Midge 4
Thienemanniella Non-Biting Midges 3
Plauditus Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 2
Diamesa Bloodworm 2
Argia Narrow-Winged Damselfly 2
Chimarra Fingernet Caddisfly 2
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 2
Diplectrona Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Chaetocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Cricotopus Non-Biting Midges 1
Micropsectra Non-Biting Midges 1
Nanocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Caecidotea Isopod 1
Hydrobaenus Midge 1
Enallagma Narrow-Winged Damselfly 1
Paratendipes European Non-Biting Midge 1
Synorthocladius 1
Prosimulium Black Fly 1
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 1
Rheotanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 1
Ironoquia Northern Caddisfly 1
Ephydridae Shore Fly 1
Baetidae Small Minnow Mayfly 1
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 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.