MBSS Site Summary for: PRUT-202-R-2001

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site PRUT-202-R-2001-10 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site PRUT-202-R-2001-8 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site PRUT-202-R-2001-9 (Opens in a new window)

Located on HENSON CR in the Potomac River U tidal watershed, 8-digit code: 02140201.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/20/2001 and again in the summer on 7/10/2001.

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 - 4.0 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Poor - 2.4 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 6,118 acres A highly channelized urban stream with concrete banks. An example of a highly channelized urban stream.
Urban Land Use 77 %
Agricultural Land Use 3 %
Forested Land Use 19 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 18/20 (Optimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 55 meters 		14/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 22 meters 		16/20 (Optimal)
Shading 60 %
Embeddedness 30 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 23.2 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 8.2 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.48
Conductivity 260 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		765.8 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 3.3 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 18 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Satinfin Shiner 195
Swallowtail Shiner 145
Creek Chub 128
Blacknose Dace 79
Longnose Dace 74
American Eel 42
Redbreast Sunfish 38
White Sucker 29
Central Stoneroller 25
Tessellated Darter 24
Brown Bullhead 11
Yellow Bullhead 10
Banded Killifish 7
Bluegill 5
Pumpkinseed 3
Eastern Silvery Minnow 1
Green Sunfish 1
Mummichog 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Eastern Snapping Turtle
Northern Watersnake

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Honeysuckle
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Naididae Aquatic Worm 16
Cricotopus Non-Biting Midges 14
Rheocricotopus Non-Biting Midges 14
Ablabesmyia Non-Biting Midge 8
Brillia Non-Biting Midges 5
Conchapelopia Non-Biting Midges 5
Cricotopus/Orthocladius Midge 3
Cryptochironomus Non-Biting Midges 3
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 3
Lumbriculidae Worm 3
Tubificidae Aquatic Worm 2
Tipula Crane Fly 2
Calopteryx Damselfly 2
Prostoma Freshwater Nemertean (Ribbon Worm) 2
Gordiidae Horsehair Worm 2
Stenelmis Beetle 1
Piscicola 1
Stagnicola Air Breathing Freshwater Snail 1
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 1
Tanypodinae Non-Biting Midges 1
Boyeria Spotted Darner Dragonfly 1
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning 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.