MBSS Site Summary for: PRMO-222-R-2002

Site Photos

Located on WATTS BR in the Potomac River MO Cnty watershed, 8-digit code: 02140202.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/5/2002 and again in the summer on 6/25/2002.

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 Good - 4.3 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Poor - 2.3 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 6,889 acres A highly channelized urban stream with concrete banks. An example of a highly channelized urban stream.
Urban Land Use 58 %
Agricultural Land Use 21 %
Forested Land Use 20 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 16/20 (Optimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 16/20 (Optimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 40 meters 		13/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 45 meters 		14/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 80 %
Embeddedness 30 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 22 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 8.9 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.57
Conductivity 260 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		875.1 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 2.7 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 21 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Longnose Dace 123
Fantail Darter 108
Blacknose Dace 95
Central Stoneroller 33
Silverjaw Minnow 32
Blue Ridge Sculpin 24
Bluntnose Minnow 23
Potomac Sculpin 23
Green Sunfish 17
Creek Chub 11
Common Shiner 10
Bluegill 9
Cutlip Minnow 9
Rosyside Dace 8
Redbreast Sunfish 6
Greenside Darter 4
Tessellated Darter 4
White Sucker 4
Yellow Bullhead 4
Northern Hogsucker 1
Pumpkinseed 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Northern Two-Lined Salamander

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Stiltgrass
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Paratanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 16
Hydrobaenus Midge 15
Crangonyx Amphipod 13
Rheosmittia Non-Biting Midges 11
Rheocricotopus Non-Biting Midges 8
Thienemanniella Non-Biting Midges 5
Nanocladius Non-Biting Midges 4
Naididae Aquatic Worm 4
Stenelmis Beetle 4
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 4
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 3
Conchapelopia Non-Biting Midges 3
Corynoneura Non-Biting Midges 3
Antocha Crane Fly 2
Parakiefferiella European Non-Biting Midge 2
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 2
Orthocladiinae Midge 1
Dubiraphia Riffle Beetle 1
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 1
Nigronia Megaloptera (Dark Fishfly) 1
Dicrotendipes Non-Biting Midges 1
Microtendipes 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.