MBSS Site Summary for: PRFR-310-R-2004


Located on TUSCARORA CR in the Potomac River FR Cnty watershed, 8-digit code: 02140301.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/16/2004 and again in the summer on 8/10/2004.

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 Fair - 3.7 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Poor - 1.3 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 5,258 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 14 %
Agricultural Land Use 70 %
Forested Land Use 16 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 10/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 56 meters 		13/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 34 meters 		12/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 45 %
Embeddedness 40 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 18.8 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 8 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.87
Conductivity 498 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		1987 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.7 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 14 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blacknose Dace 102
Bluntnose Minnow 75
Banded Killifish 39
Longnose Dace 19
White Sucker 18
Spottail Shiner 12
Redbreast Sunfish 10
Greenside Darter 6
Yellow Bullhead 6
Common Shiner 4
Central Stoneroller 1
Creek Chub 1
Green Sunfish 1
Spotfin 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:
Canada Thistle
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Cricotopus Non-Biting Midges 35
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 35
Crangonyx Amphipod 16
Simulium Black Fly 13
Lirceus Isopod 6
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 5
Pseudolimnophila Crane Fly 5
Thienemannimyia group Non-Biting Midges 5
Thienemanniella Non-Biting Midges 4
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 4
Girardia Freshwater Flatworm 2
Brillia Non-Biting Midges 2
Orthocladiinae Midge 1
Tubificidae Aquatic Worm 1
Probezzia Biting Midges 1
Nanocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Cryptochironomus Non-Biting Midges 1
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 1
Tropisternus Water Scavenger Beetle 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.