MBSS Site Summary for: PRMT-315-R-2002

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site PRMT-315-R-2002-433 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site PRMT-315-R-2002-434 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site PRMT-315-R-2002-596 (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 3/19/2002 and again in the summer on 7/23/2002.

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 - 4.4 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 3,211 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 1 %
Agricultural Land Use 11 %
Forested Land Use 86 %


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 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 7/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 60 meters 		14/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 0 meters 		0/20 (Poor)
Shading 95 %
Embeddedness 60 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 60%. This is relatively high, and may exclude some biota.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 25.1 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 1 mg/L
Dissolved oxygen levels measured in the stream were very low (1 mg/L). Many fishes and other aquatic animals cannot tolerate low levels of oxygen in the water.
pH (lab) 7.17
Conductivity 130 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		439.9 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 5.7 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 16 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Brown Bullhead 15
Least Brook Lamprey 8
Golden Shiner 7
American Eel 5
Creek Chubsucker 5
Eastern Mudminnow 4
Margined Madtom 2
Redbreast Sunfish 2
Bluegill 1
Eastern Mosquitofish 1
Fallfish 1
Green Sunfish 1
Largemouth Bass 1
Pumpkinseed 1
Sea Lamprey 1
White Sucker 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Northern Green Frog
Northern Watersnake
Pickerel Frog

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 16
Prosimulium Black Fly 9
Cricotopus Non-Biting Midges 8
Stempellinella Non-Biting Midges 8
Simulium Black Fly 7
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 6
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 5
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 5
Heptageniidae Flathead Mayfly 4
Corbicula Basket Clam 4
Oemopteryx Stonefly 4
Hemerodromia Tiny Fly 4
Acerpenna Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 3
Tanytarsini Non-Biting Midges 3
Simuliidae Black Fly 3
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 3
Rheosmittia Non-Biting Midges 2
Orthocladiinae Midge 2
Tanypodinae Non-Biting Midges 2
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 1
Thienemannimyia group Non-Biting Midges 1
Limnephilidae Northern Casemaker Caddisfly 1
Alloperla Stonefly 1
Tipulidae Cranefly 1
Chimarra Fingernet Caddisfly 1
Diploperla 1
Potthastia Non-Biting Midges 1
Rheocricotopus Non-Biting Midges 1
Conchapelopia Non-Biting Midges 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.