MBSS Site Summary for: PRWA-215-R-2002

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site PRWA-215-R-2002-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site PRWA-215-R-2002-2 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site PRWA-215-R-2002-3 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site PRWA-215-R-2002-4 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site PRWA-215-R-2002-5 (Opens in a new window)

Located on CAMP SPRING RUN in the Potomac River WA Cnty watershed, 8-digit code: 02140501.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/7/2002 and again in the summer on 7/10/2002.

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 Poor - 1.3 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Poor - 2.3 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 2,020 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 12 %
Agricultural Land Use 60 %
Forested Land Use 28 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 16/20 (Optimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 10/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 43 meters 		10/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 32 meters 		14/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 70 %
Embeddedness 40 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 13.6 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 10.9 mg/L
pH (lab) 8.16
Conductivity 470 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		3530 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.2 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 4 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Bluntnose Minnow 22
Blacknose Dace 9
Redbreast Sunfish 4
Brown Trout 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Eastern Box Turtle

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Gammarus Amphipod 51
Optioservus Riffle Beetle 35
Baetis Blue-Winged Olive Mayfly 13
Lirceus Isopod 7
Simulium Black Fly 6
Caecidotea Isopod 4
Phagocata 4
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 1
Lumbriculidae Worm 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.