MBSS Site Summary for: PRLT-105-R-2007

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site PRLT-105-R-2007-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site PRLT-105-R-2007-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on Potomac River UT29 UT1 in the Potomac River L tidal watershed, 8-digit code: 02140101.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/20/2007 and again in the summer on 7/23/2007.

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 - 2.3 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Good - 4.7 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 212 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 10.9 %
Agricultural Land Use 34.4 %
Forested Land Use 54.8 %


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 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 7/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 38 meters 		7/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 37 meters 		11/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 95 %
Embeddedness 15 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 19.6 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 7.7 mg/L
pH (lab) 6.37
Conductivity 200 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		84.1 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.5805 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 4 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blacknose Dace 220
Rosyside Dace 114
Creek Chub 50
American Eel 2
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Eastern American Toad
Fowler's Toad
Northern Green Frog
Northern Red Salamander
Northern Two-Lined Salamander
Southern Leopard Frog

Crayfish:
Cambarus
Cambarus bartonii bartonii

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Stiltgrass
Multiflora Rose
Tree Of Heaven
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 14
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 12
Diplocladius Non-Biting Midges 8
Eurylophella Mayfly 8
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 8
Limnephilidae Northern Casemaker Caddisfly 5
Rheocricotopus Non-Biting Midges 4
Cricotopus Non-Biting Midges 4
Haploperla Green Stonefly 3
Caecidotea Isopod 3
Micropsectra Non-Biting Midges 3
Isoperla Stripetail Stonefly 3
Eccoptura Yellow Stone Stonefly 3
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 2
Perlidae Common Stonefly 2
Pycnopsyche Great Autumn Brown Sedge Caddisfly 2
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Diplectrona Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Thienemannimyia group Non-Biting Midges 1
Ironoquia Northern Caddisfly 1
Hexatoma Crane Fly 1
Pseudolimnophila Crane Fly 1
Isotomurus Elongate-Bodied Springtail 1
Musculium Fingernail Clam 1
Lepidostoma Little Brown Sedge Caddisfly 1
Cultus 1
Enochrus 1
Synurella Amphipod 1
Perlodidae Perlodid Stonefly 1
Agabus Predatory Aquatic Beetle 1
Leptophlebiidae Pronggilled Mayfly 1
Hydroporus Water 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.