MBSS Site Summary for: PRMO-295-E-2004


Located on WATTS BR in the Potomac River MO Cnty watershed, 8-digit code: 02140202.
This stream was visited in the spring on 4/22/2004 and again in the summer on 9/13/2002.

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 Fair - 3.7 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Poor - 1.5 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 5,801 acres A highly channelized urban stream with concrete banks. An example of a highly channelized urban stream.
Urban Land Use 60 %
Agricultural Land Use 20 %
Forested Land Use 17 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 18/20 (Optimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 18/20 (Optimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 46 meters 		17/20 (Optimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 29 meters 		15/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 85 %
Embeddedness 20 %
Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Optimal' at this location.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 19 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 7.1 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.62
Conductivity 320 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		1070 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 3.2 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 18 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blacknose Dace 1015
Longnose Dace 264
Central Stoneroller 185
Fantail Darter 185
Bluntnose Minnow 139
Silverjaw Minnow 75
Creek Chub 63
Rosyside Dace 50
Tessellated Darter 38
White Sucker 27
Greenside Darter 23
Potomac Sculpin 14
Common Shiner 9
Green Sunfish 8
Cutlip Minnow 6
Blue Ridge Sculpin 4
Swallowtail Shiner 3
Spotfin Shiner 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Northern Brownsnake

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Mile-A-Minute
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 46
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 25
Hydrobaenus Midge 8
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 8
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 8
Orthocladiinae Midge 4
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 4
Simulium Black Fly 2
Micropsectra Non-Biting Midges 2
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 2
Chaetocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Diamesa Bloodworm 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.