MBSS Site Summary for: PRLT-202-R-2004

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site PRLT-202-R-2004-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site PRLT-202-R-2004-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on POTOMAC R UT 28 in the Potomac River L tidal watershed, 8-digit code: 02140101.
This stream was visited in the spring on 4/14/2004 and again in the summer on 6/22/2004.

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 - 2.0 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Good - 4.4 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 889 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 5 %
Agricultural Land Use 38 %
Forested Land Use 56 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 9/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 44 meters 		10/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 34 meters 		11/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 92 %
Embeddedness 30 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 21.8 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 8.4 mg/L
pH (lab) 6.66
Conductivity 133 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		172.7 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 5 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 5 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blacknose Dace 294
Creek Chub 66
Eastern Mudminnow 48
Rosyside Dace 14
American Eel 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Eastern Box Turtle
Fowler's Toad
Northern Green Frog
Northern Spring Peeper
Northern Two-Lined Salamander
Pickerel Frog

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 30
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 9
Thienemannimyia group Non-Biting Midges 7
Trissopelopia Non-Biting Midges 6
Acerpenna Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 6
Chaetocladius Non-Biting Midges 4
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 4
Chloroperlidae Green Stonefly 4
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 3
Calopteryx Damselfly 3
Eurylophella Mayfly 3
Hydrobaenus Midge 3
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 3
Diplectrona Net-Spinning Caddisfly 2
Crangonyx Amphipod 2
Pycnopsyche Great Autumn Brown Sedge Caddisfly 2
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 1
Ablabesmyia Non-Biting Midge 1
Rheocricotopus Non-Biting Midges 1
Rheosmittia Non-Biting Midges 1
Caecidotea Isopod 1
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 1
Lumbriculidae Worm 1
Eccoptura Yellow Stone Stonefly 1
Ironoquia Northern Caddisfly 1
Limnephilidae Northern Casemaker Caddisfly 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.