MBSS Site Summary for: PRFR-206-R-2004


Located on TUSCARORA CR UT 3 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 6/9/2004.

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 - 2.3 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Poor - 1.0 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 1,735 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 10 %
Agricultural Land Use 59 %
Forested Land Use 32 %


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 8/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 16/20 (Optimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 43 meters 		12/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 44 meters 		16/20 (Optimal)
Shading 30 %
Embeddedness 40 %
Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Optimal' at this location.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 18.3 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 8 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.66
Conductivity 241 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		1367 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 2.2 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 9 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blacknose Dace 205
Eastern Silvery Minnow 39
Green Sunfish 24
Bluntnose Minnow 17
White Sucker 10
Rosyside Dace 5
Yellow Bullhead 4
Banded Killifish 3
Spottail Shiner 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
No amphibians and reptiles noted.

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

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

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Simulium Black Fly 102
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 9
Diamesa Bloodworm 8
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 6
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 1
Potthastia Non-Biting Midges 1
Rheosmittia Non-Biting Midges 1
Lumbriculidae Worm 1
Baetis Blue-Winged Olive Mayfly 1
Girardia Freshwater Flatworm 1
Lirceus Isopod 1
Erpobdellidae Leech 1
Brillia Non-Biting Midges 1
Diamesinae Non-Biting Midges 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.