MBSS Site Summary for: PRMT-207-R-2004

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site PRMT-207-R-2004-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site PRMT-207-R-2004-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on REEDER RUN UT in the Potomac River M tidal watershed, 8-digit code: 02140102.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/10/2004 and again in the summer on 8/11/2004.

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 Fair - 3.7 / 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 1,252 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 0 %
Agricultural Land Use 9 %
Forested Land Use 89 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 16/20 (Optimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 10/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 75 meters 		17/20 (Optimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 0 meters 		0/20 (Poor)
Shading 15 %
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 22.4 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 4 mg/L
Dissolved oxygen levels measured in the stream were very low (4 mg/L). Many fishes and other aquatic animals cannot tolerate low levels of oxygen in the water.
pH (lab) 6.62
Conductivity 63 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		265.5 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 3.4 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 11 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Golden Shiner 336
Creek Chubsucker 165
Pumpkinseed 165
Bluegill 108
Green Sunfish 47
Redbreast Sunfish 45
Eastern Mudminnow 39
Chain Pickerel 22
American Eel 9
Yellow Bullhead 5
Lepomis Hybrid 4
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Common Five-Lined Skink
Eastern American Toad
Eastern Box Turtle
Eastern Wormsnake
Fowler's Toad
Little Brown Skink
Northern Green Frog
Northern Watersnake
Pickerel Frog
Stinkpot

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Common Reed (Phragmites)
Japanese Honeysuckle
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Hyalella Amphipod 107
Leptophlebiidae Pronggilled Mayfly 10
Leptophlebia Pronggilled Mayfly 9
Caecidotea Isopod 7
Synurella Amphipod 5
Procladius Non-Biting Midge 3
Coenagrionidae Narrowwinged Damselfly 3
Polycentropus Tube Maker Caddisfly 3
Clinotanypus Non-Biting Midge 2
Tanypodinae Non-Biting Midges 2
Crangonyx Amphipod 2
Sialis Alderfly 1
Tipulidae Cranefly 1
Labrundinia Non-Biting Midges 1
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 1
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Paratanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 1
Tanytarsini Non-Biting Midges 1
Thienemannimyia group Non-Biting Midges 1
Pisidiidae Pill Clam 1
Ablabesmyia Non-Biting Midge 1
Corixidae Water Boatman 1
Dineutus Whirlygig Beetle 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.