MBSS Site Summary for: PRMT-110-R-2004

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site PRMT-110-R-2004-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site PRMT-110-R-2004-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on POTOMAC R UT 27 in the Potomac River M tidal watershed, 8-digit code: 02140102.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/10/2004 and again in the summer on 6/21/2004.

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 Good - 4.0 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Fair - 3.0 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 630 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 0 %
Agricultural Land Use 5 %
Forested Land Use 94 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 96 meters 		12/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 50 meters 		11/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 50 %
Embeddedness 100 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 100%. This is very high, and may adversely affect biotic communities.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 22 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 4.4 mg/L
Dissolved oxygen levels measured in the stream were very low (4.4 mg/L). Many fishes and other aquatic animals cannot tolerate low levels of oxygen in the water.
pH (lab) 6.12
Conductivity 33 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		77.9 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 3.4 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 8 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Creek Chubsucker 77
Least Brook Lamprey 34
Eastern Mudminnow 25
Pumpkinseed 21
Chain Pickerel 14
American Eel 6
Golden Shiner 6
Tadpole Madtom 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Common Five-Lined Skink
Eastern Cricket Frog
Eastern Snapping Turtle
Fowler's Toad
Northern Green Frog
Northern Watersnake
Pickerel Frog
Red-Spotted Newt
Rough Greensnake

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
No exotic plants noted.
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 48
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 25
Hyalella Amphipod 15
Procladius Non-Biting Midge 6
Caecidotea Isopod 3
Simuliidae Black Fly 3
Simulium Black Fly 3
Ptilostomis Giant Casemaker Caddisfly 2
Clinotanypus Non-Biting Midge 2
Tanypodinae Non-Biting Midges 2
Ablabesmyia Non-Biting Midge 1
Chironomini Non-Biting Midge 1
Thienemannimyia group Non-Biting Midges 1
Zavrelimyia Non-Biting Midges 1
Callibaetis Speckled Dun Mayfly 1
Corixidae Water Boatman 1
Parachironomus 1
Spirosperma Aquatic Oligochaete Worm 1
Pseudolimnophila Crane Fly 1
Peltodytes Crawling Water Beetle 1
Chrysops Deerfly 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.