MBSS Site Summary for: WA-A-053-223-95


Located on LITTLE CONOCOCHEAGUE CR in the Little Conococheague watershed, 8-digit code: 02140505.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/13/1995 and again in the summer on 7/6/1995.

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 - 1.3 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 2,227 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 0.1 %
Agricultural Land Use 15.5 %
Forested Land Use 81.9 %


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 4/20 (Poor)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = meters 		16/20 (Optimal)
Riffle Quality 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 87 %
Embeddedness 30 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 24 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 6.8 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.24
Conductivity 100 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		442.8 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 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
Bluegill 125
Blacknose Dace 87
White Sucker 73
Central Stoneroller 27
Blue Ridge Sculpin 23
Fantail Darter 21
Longnose Dace 15
Fallfish 14
Lepomis Hybrid 11
Pumpkinseed 11
Largemouth Bass 7
Black Crappie 4
Creek Chub 4
Potomac Sculpin 4
Rock Bass 2
Yellow Bullhead 2
Green Sunfish 1
Smallmouth Bass 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Northern Green Frog
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
Simulium Black Fly 66
Prosimulium Black Fly 21
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 17
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 9
Thienemannimyia Non-Biting Midges 7
Rheotanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 5
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 4
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 4
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 3
Stegopterna Black Fly 2
Diamesa Bloodworm 1
Tipula Crane Fly 1
Chaoborus 1
Prostoia Spring Stonefly 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.