MBSS Site Summary for: PRMT-156-X-2006


Located on Potomac River UT34 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 6/8/2006.

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 - 2.0 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Good - 4.4 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 56 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 7/20 (Marginal)
Epifaunal Substrate 8/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 4/20 (Poor)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 71 meters
8/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 4 meters
6/20 (Marginal)
Shading 90 %
Embeddedness 90 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 90%. This is relatively high, and may exclude some biota.


Stream Water Quality:

Water temperature 16.7 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 8.3 mg/L
pH (lab) 6.71
Conductivity 67 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity)
248.3 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 2.2029 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 2 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Eastern Mudminnow 87
Eastern Mosquitofish 6
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:

Broad-Headed Skink
Eastern Cricket Frog
Gray Treefrog
Northern Black Racer
Northern Green Frog
Northern Red Salamander
Northern Two-Lined Salamander
Wood Frog

Crayfish:

Procambarus clarkii

Exotic Plants:

Japanese Stiltgrass
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:

Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 53
Leptophlebiidae Pronggilled Mayfly 19
Leptophlebia Pronggilled Mayfly 4
Eurylophella Mayfly 4
Micropsectra Non-Biting Midges 4
Leuctra  Rolled-Winged Stonefly 4
Tanypodinae Non-Biting Midges 3
Tanytarsini Non-Biting Midges 2
Calopteryx Damselfly 2
Heterotrissocladius European Non-Biting Midge 2
Pycnopsyche Great Autumn Brown Sedge Caddisfly 2
Rheosmittia Non-Biting Midges 2
Trissopelopia Non-Biting Midges 2
Zavrelimyia Non-Biting Midges 2
Pisidiidae Pill Clam 2
Caecidotea Isopod 1
Bezzia Biting Midge 1
Ceratopogon Biting Midge 1
Phylocentropus Caddisfly 1
Pseudolimnophila Crane Fly 1
Thienemannimyia group Non-Biting Midges 1
Phaenopsectra Non-Biting Midges 1
Anisocentropus 1
Lype Net Tube 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.