MBSS Site Summary for: PRFR-203-X-2016

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site PRFR-203-X-2016_Midpoint looking downstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site PRFR-203-X-2016_Midpoint looking 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 6/29/2016.

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 Fair - 3.3 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Poor - 2.0 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 2,776 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 6.6 %
Agricultural Land Use 68.5 %
Forested Land Use 21.4 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 16/20 (Optimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 31 meters 		16/20 (Optimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 28 meters 		16/20 (Optimal)
Shading 20 %
Embeddedness 25 %
Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Optimal' at this location.


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 14 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Common Shiner 206
Blacknose Dace 130
Bluntnose Minnow 118
Longnose Dace 83
Central Stoneroller 79
Silverjaw Minnow 65
Green Sunfish 45
Redbreast Sunfish 38
Bluegill 22
Yellow Bullhead 16
Creek Chub 15
Largemouth Bass 5
Rosyside Dace 5
White Sucker 5
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
No amphibians and reptiles noted.

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Garlic Mustard
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Hops
Japanese Stiltgrass
Mile-A-Minute
Multiflora Rose
Shrub Honeysuckle
Wineberry
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 45
Simulium Black Fly 19
Naididae Aquatic Worm 11
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 8
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 8
Thienemannimyia Group Non-Biting Midges 6
Rheotanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 5
Baetis Blue-Winged Olive Mayfly 5
Thienemanniella Non-Biting Midges 4
Orthocladiinae Midge 3
Parakiefferiella European Non-Biting Midge 3
Stenelmis Beetle 2
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 2
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 2
Hydroptila Microcaddisfly 2
Tanypodinae Non-Biting Midges 2
Hemerodromia Tiny Fly 2
Paraphaenocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Potthastia Non-Biting Midges 1
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 1
Nanocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Girardia Freshwater Flatworm 1
Caenis Mayfly 1
Antocha Crane Fly 1
Hexatoma 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.