MBSS Site Summary for: PRMT-177-S-2017

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site PRMT-177-S-2017-MidpointBridgeDownstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site PRMT-177-S-2017-MidpointBridgeUpstream (Opens in a new window)

Located on Reader Run in the Potomac River M tidal watershed, 8-digit code: 02140102.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/6/2017 and again in the summer on 8/23/2017.

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 272 acres A highly channelized urban stream with concrete banks. An example of a highly channelized urban stream.
Urban Land Use 13.7 %
Agricultural Land Use 2.9 %
Forested Land Use 75.9 %


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 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 43 meters 		13/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 35 meters 		11/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 45 %
Embeddedness 70 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 70%. This is relatively high, and may exclude some biota.


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 6.49
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		121.2 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 2.3876 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
Blacknose Dace 33
Creek Chubsucker 31
Creek Chub 24
Rosyside Dace 24
Redbreast Sunfish 22
Least Brook Lamprey 13
Eastern Mudminnow 12
Tessellated Darter 6
American Eel 5
Golden Shiner 2
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Common Five-Lined Skink
Northern Green Frog
Northern Water Snake
Pickerel Frog

Crayfish:
Orconectes limosus

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Stiltgrass
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
SIMULIUM Black Fly 39
CHEUMATOPSYCHE Net-Spinning Caddisfly 16
RHEOCRICOTOPUS Non-Biting Midges 9
LEUCTRIDAE Rolledwinged Stonefly 5
PARAMETRIOCNEMUS Non-Biting Midges 5
ANCHYTARSUS Beetle 5
EURYLOPHELLA Mayfly 4
ECCOPTURA Yellow Stone Stonefly 4
PROSIMULIUM Black Fly 3
SYNURELLA Amphipod 2
CERATOPOGONIDAE Biting Midge 2
NIGRONIA Megaloptera (Dark Fishfly) 2
DIPLOCLADIUS Non-Biting Midges 2
MACCAFFERTIUM March Brown And Cahill Mayfly 2
ORTHOCLADIUS Non-Biting Midges 2
RHEOTANYTARSUS Non-Biting Midges 2
THIENEMANNIELLA Non-Biting Midges 1
THIENEMANNIMYIA GROUP Non-Biting Midges 1
TRISSOPELOPIA Non-Biting Midges 1
AMPHINEMURA Spring Stonefly 1
ACERPENNA Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 1
TAENIOPTERYGIDAE Winter Stonefly 1
PARATANYTARSUS Non-Biting Midges 1
EUKIEFFERIELLA Non-Biting Midges 1
MICROPSECTRA Non-Biting Midges 1
PSILOTRETA Mortarjoint Casemaker Caddisfly 1
HYDROPSYCHE Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
CORYNONEURA Non-Biting Midges 1
NYCTIOPHYLAX 1
LEUCTRA  Rolled-Winged Stonefly 1
GOMPHIDAE Clubtail Dragonfly 1
PYCNOPSYCHE Great Autumn Brown Sedge 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.