MBSS Site Summary for: PRWA-122-R-2000

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site PRWA-122-R-2000-01 (Opens in a new window)

Located on POTOMAC RIVER UT5 in the Potomac River WA Cnty watershed, 8-digit code: 02140501.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/30/2000 and again in the summer on 8/9/2000.

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 Poor - 1.7 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Fair - 3.5 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 541 acres Cows standing in a stream at a site with high agricultural land use. Cows survey the sampling procedure at this extreme example of a highly agriculturalized site.
Urban Land Use 0.1 %
Agricultural Land Use 59.4 %
Forested Land Use 40.5 %


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 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 10/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 25 meters 		10/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 50 meters 		10/20 (Marginal)
Shading 95 %
Embeddedness 20 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 20.4 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 8.3 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.1
Conductivity 190 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		207.2 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 1 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Largemouth Bass 2
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Northern Two-Lined Salamander

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
No exotic plants noted.
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Isoperla Stripetail Stonefly 25
Leuctra  Rolled-Winged Stonefly 23
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 22
Epeorus Mayfly 20
Wormaldia Fingernet Caddisfly 13
Paraleptophlebia Blue Quill Mayfly 10
Enchytraeidae Aquatic Worm 8
Micropsectra Non-Biting Midges 5
Prosimulium Black Fly 3
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 2
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 1
Rheocricotopus Non-Biting Midges 1
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 1
Crangonyx Amphipod 1
Girardia Freshwater Flatworm 1
Corynoneura 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.