MBSS Site Summary for: PRUT-202-R-2015

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site PRUT-202-R-2015_Midpoint-looking-downstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site PRUT-202-R-2015_Midpoint-looking-upstream (Opens in a new window)

Located on HENSON CREEK in the Potomac River U tidal watershed, 8-digit code: 02140201.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/23/2015 and again in the summer on 6/16/2015.

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 Fair - 3.0 / 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 84.3 %
Agricultural Land Use 0 %
Forested Land Use 15.4 %


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 10/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 30 meters 		16/20 (Optimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 45 meters 		15/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 60 %
Embeddedness 30 %


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 7.79
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		880.8 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 3.4773 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 20 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Satinfin Shiner 280
Swallowtail Shiner 276
Longnose Dace 185
Central Stoneroller 147
Blacknose Dace 83
Creek Chub 71
Redbreast Sunfish 54
Banded Killifish 46
American Eel 43
Yellow Bullhead 12
Bluegill 10
Tessellated Darter 8
White Sucker 8
Pumpkinseed 4
Golden Shiner 3
Creek Chubsucker 2
Green Sunfish 2
Lepomis Hybrid 1
Mummichog 1
Spottail Shiner 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Eastern Snapping Turtle
Northern Water Snake

Crayfish:
Orconectes
Orconectes limosus
Orconectes virilis

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Knotweed
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Enallagma Narrow-Winged Damselfly 20
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 17
Lumbriculidae Worm 16
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 8
Cricotopus Non-Biting Midges 7
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 6
Antocha Crane Fly 6
Tubificidae Aquatic Worm 5
Thienemannimyia Group Non-Biting Midges 5
Synorthocladius 4
Argia Narrow-Winged Damselfly 3
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 3
Menetus Air Breathing Freshwater Snail 2
Paratanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 2
Rheotanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 1
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 1
Pisidiidae Pill Clam 1
Physa Air-Breathing Freshwater Snail 1
Fossaria Air Breathing Freshwater Snail 1
Leucotrichia 1
Calopteryx Damselfly 1
Girardia Freshwater Flatworm 1
Diplocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Cardiocladius Non-Biting Midge 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.