MBSS Site Summary for: PRMT-154-X-2006


Located on Potomac River UT36 in the Potomac River M tidal watershed, 8-digit code: 02140102.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/29/2006 and again in the summer on 6/9/2006.

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 Poor - 1.3 / 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 252 acres A highly channelized urban stream with concrete banks. An example of a highly channelized urban stream.
Urban Land Use 0 %
Agricultural Land Use 0 %
Forested Land Use 100 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 16/20 (Optimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 5/20 (Poor)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 67 meters 		10/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 8 meters 		7/20 (Marginal)
Shading 95 %
Embeddedness 40 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 15 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 3.3 mg/L
Dissolved oxygen levels measured in the stream were very low (3.3 mg/L). Many fishes and other aquatic animals cannot tolerate low levels of oxygen in the water.
pH (lab) 5.14
Conductivity 47 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		27.95 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 3.3992 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 1 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Eastern Mudminnow 66
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Eastern Cricket Frog
Northern Green Frog
Northern Red Salamander
Northern Two-Lined Salamander
Pickerel Frog

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
No exotic plants noted.
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Stegopterna Black Fly 48
Unniella Non-Biting Midge 18
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 9
Leuctra  Rolled-Winged Stonefly 5
Synurella Amphipod 4
Thienemannimyia group Non-Biting Midges 4
Micropsectra Non-Biting Midges 3
Diplectrona Net-Spinning Caddisfly 3
Parachaetocladius Non-Biting Midge 3
Nigronia Megaloptera (Dark Fishfly) 2
Tanypodinae Non-Biting Midges 2
Tipula Crane Fly 2
Caecidotea Isopod 2
Dolophilodes Medium Evening Sedge Caddisfly 1
Ptilostomis Giant Casemaker Caddisfly 1
Pycnopsyche Great Autumn Brown Sedge Caddisfly 1
Ceratopogonidae Biting Midge 1
Neophylax Caddisfly 1
Conchapelopia Non-Biting Midges 1
Corynoneura Non-Biting Midges 1
Zavrelimyia Non-Biting Midges 1
Polycentropus Tube Maker 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.