MBSS Site Summary for: PRMT-152-X-2006


Located on Potomac River UT37 in the Potomac River M tidal watershed, 8-digit code: 02140102.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/30/2006 and again in the summer on 6/12/2006.

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 - 4.7 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Good - 4.1 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 206 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 3 %
Agricultural Land Use 4 %
Forested Land Use 92 %


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 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 4/20 (Poor)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 68 meters
8/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 7 meters
11/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 90 %
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 15 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 6.4 mg/L
pH (lab) 6.94
Conductivity 75 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity)
295.8 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.8367 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
Least Brook Lamprey 99
Eastern Mudminnow 49
Blacknose Dace 34
American Eel 9
Creek Chubsucker 4
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:

American Bullfrog
Eastern Mud Turtle
Gray Treefrog
Green Treefrog
Northern Green Frog
Northern Two-Lined Salamander
Pickerel Frog

Crayfish:

Cambarus bartonii bartonii
Cambarus diogenes
Procambarus clarkii

Exotic Plants:

Japanese Stiltgrass
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:

Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 13
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 13
Phylocentropus Caddisfly 11
Musculium Fingernail Clam 11
Thienemannimyia group Non-Biting Midges 8
Rheocricotopus Non-Biting Midges 8
Rheosmittia Non-Biting Midges 8
Trissopelopia Non-Biting Midges 4
Gomphidae Clubtail Dragonfly 4
Pseudolimnophila Crane Fly 4
Pycnopsyche Great Autumn Brown Sedge Caddisfly 4
Diplectrona Net-Spinning Caddisfly 3
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 3
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 3
Calopteryx Damselfly 3
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 3
Tribelos Non-Biting Midges 3
Lumbriculidae Worm 3
Cricotopus Non-Biting Midges 2
Leptophlebiidae Pronggilled Mayfly 2
Paraphaenocladius Non-Biting Midges 2
Natarsia Non-Biting Midges 1
Clinotanypus Non-Biting Midge 1
Corynoneura Non-Biting Midges 1
Nigronia Megaloptera (Dark Fishfly) 1
Spirosperma Aquatic Oligochaete Worm 1
Probezzia Biting Midges 1
Heteroplectron Caddisfly 1
Ephydridae Shore Fly 1
Cordulegaster Spiketail Dragonfly 1
Acerpenna Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 1
Eccoptura Yellow Stone Stonefly 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.