MBSS Site Summary for: PRWA-212-R-2008

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site PRWA-212-R-2008-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site PRWA-212-R-2008-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on GREEN SPRING RUN in the Potomac River WA Cnty watershed, 8-digit code: 02140501.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/19/2008 and again in the summer on 6/23/2008.

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 - 3.8 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 2,170 acres A highly channelized urban stream with concrete banks. An example of a highly channelized urban stream.
Urban Land Use 13.7 %
Agricultural Land Use 9 %
Forested Land Use 77.2 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 10/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 56 meters 		10/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 23 meters 		13/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 80 %
Embeddedness 35 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 15.8 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 15.6 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.91
Conductivity 395 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		1446.6 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.445 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
Potomac Sculpin 359
Blacknose Dace 118
Green Sunfish 15
Creek Chub 4
Bluegill 1
Central Stoneroller 1
Fantail Darter 1
Greenside Darter 1
Margined Madtom 1
Rainbow Darter 1
Yellow Bullhead 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Northern Dusky Salamander
Northern Two-Lined Salamander
Wood Frog

Crayfish:
Cambarus bartonii bartonii
Orconectes virilis

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Barberry
Japanese Stiltgrass
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 44
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 13
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 12
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 3
Leuctra  Rolled-Winged Stonefly 3
Baetis Blue-Winged Olive Mayfly 3
Chimarra Fingernet Caddisfly 2
Diphetor Mayfly 2
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 2
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 2
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 2
Baetidae Small Minnow Mayfly 2
Optioservus Riffle Beetle 1
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Stempellinella Non-Biting Midges 1
Tanypodinae Non-Biting Midges 1
Eurylophella Mayfly 1
Gammarus Amphipod 1
Clinocera Aquatic Dance Fly 1
Heptageniidae Flathead Mayfly 1
Chloroperlidae Green Stonefly 1
Maccaffertium March Brown And Cahill Mayfly 1
Neophylax Caddisfly 1
Perlidae Common Stonefly 1
Tipula Crane Fly 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.