MBSS Site Summary for: PRMT-177-S-2012

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site PRMT-177-S-2012-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site PRMT-177-S-2012-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on REEDER RUN in the Potomac River M tidal watershed, 8-digit code: 02140102.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/19/2012 and again in the summer on 6/19/2012.

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 - 5.0 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Fair - 3.9 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 272 acres A highly channelized urban stream with concrete banks. An example of a highly channelized urban stream.
Urban Land Use 12.9 %
Agricultural Land Use 3.5 %
Forested Land Use 82.7 %


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 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 54 meters 		12/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 21 meters 		8/20 (Marginal)
Shading 65 %
Embeddedness 20 %


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 6.23
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		134.3 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 3.317 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 10 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Redbreast Sunfish 37
Least Brook Lamprey 26
Eastern Mudminnow 20
Creek Chubsucker 18
Golden Shiner 15
Tessellated Darter 6
American Eel 3
Blacknose Dace 2
Chain Pickerel 1
Margined Madtom 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Cope's Gray Treefrog
Eastern Cricket Frog
Fowler's Toad
Pickerel Frog

Crayfish:
Orconectes limosus
Procambarus clarkii

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Honeysuckle
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Leuctra  Rolled-Winged Stonefly 34
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 32
Simulium Black Fly 9
Unniella Non-Biting Midge 8
Thienemannimyia Group Non-Biting Midges 5
Stegopterna Black Fly 3
Micropsectra Non-Biting Midges 3
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 2
Calopteryx Damselfly 2
Caecidotea Isopod 2
Eurylophella Mayfly 2
Dolophilodes Medium Evening Sedge Caddisfly 2
Orthocladiinae Midge 2
Trissopelopia Non-Biting Midges 2
Zavrelimyia Non-Biting Midges 1
Ironoquia Northern Caddisfly 1
DYTISCIDAE Predaceous Diving Beetle 1
Cordulegaster Spiketail Dragonfly 1
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 1
Pseudorthocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Rheotanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 1
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Ablabesmyia Non-Biting Midge 1
Crangonyx Amphipod 1
Nigronia Megaloptera (Dark Fishfly) 1
Cladopelma 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.