MBSS Site Summary for: PRLT-107-B-2008

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site PRLT-107-B-2008-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site PRLT-107-B-2008-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on UT WHITES NECK CREEK in the Potomac River L tidal watershed, 8-digit code: 02140101.
This stream was visited in the spring on 4/24/2008 and again in the summer on 6/11/2008.

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 - 1.0 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Poor - 2.1 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 696 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 7.4 %
Agricultural Land Use 59.9 %
Forested Land Use 32.1 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 8/20 (Marginal)
Epifaunal Substrate 6/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 5/20 (Poor)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 69 meters 		6/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 8 meters 		6/20 (Marginal)
Shading 70 %
Embeddedness 90 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 90%. This is relatively high, and may exclude some biota.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 22.5 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 7.2 mg/L
pH (lab) 6.59
Conductivity 117 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		239.7 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 10.5676 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 1 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Eastern Mudminnow 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Marbled Salamander
Northern Green Frog
Southern Leopard Frog

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Caecidotea Isopod 68
Amphipoda Scud 16
Chironomus Non-Biting Midges 8
Synurella Amphipod 2
Pseudolimnophila Crane Fly 2
Rhyacophila Free-Living Caddisfly 2
Limnodrilus Worm 2
Zavrelimyia Non-Biting Midges 2
Crangonyx Amphipod 1
Hydrobaenus Midge 1
Isotomidae Springtail 1
Spirosperma Aquatic Oligochaete Worm 1
Tubificidae Aquatic Worm 1
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 1
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 1
Potthastia 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.