MBSS Site Summary for: PRFR-211-R-2007

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site PRFR-211-R-2007-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site PRFR-211-R-2007-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on Tuscarora Creek UT2 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 7/3/2007.

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 Poor - 2.0 / 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 1,930 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 53.7 %
Forested Land Use 36.1 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 7/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 10/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 62 meters 		8/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 19 meters 		7/20 (Marginal)
Shading 75 %
Embeddedness 45 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 19.2 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 7.9 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.74
Conductivity 353 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		1270.7 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 2.5653 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 10 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blacknose Dace 374
Bluntnose Minnow 79
White Sucker 50
Central Stoneroller 11
Yellow Bullhead 11
Green Sunfish 10
Creek Chub 7
Longnose Dace 2
Fallfish 1
Spotfin Shiner 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Northern Green Frog
Wood Frog

Crayfish:
Orconectes virilis

Exotic Plants:
Canada Thistle
Garlic Mustard
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Mile-A-Minute
Multiflora Rose
Tree Of Heaven
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 26
Rheosmittia Non-Biting Midges 13
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 10
Cryptochironomus Non-Biting Midges 9
Cricotopus Non-Biting Midges 7
Stenelmis Beetle 6
Lirceus Isopod 6
Paratendipes European Non-Biting Midge 4
Dicrotendipes Non-Biting Midges 4
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 4
Hydrobaenus Midge 3
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 3
Thienemannimyia group Non-Biting Midges 3
Rheocricotopus Non-Biting Midges 2
Diamesa Bloodworm 2
Parakiefferiella European Non-Biting Midge 1
Ceratopogon Biting Midge 1
Chimarra Fingernet Caddisfly 1
Glossiphoniidae Leech 1
Crangonyx Amphipod 1
Potthastia Non-Biting Midges 1
Hemerodromia Tiny 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.