MBSS Site Summary for: WA-V-131-224-95


Located on MARSH RUN in the Antietam Creek watershed, 8-digit code: 02140502.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/8/1995 and again in the summer on 7/12/1995.

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 - 2.3 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 14,835 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 3 %
Agricultural Land Use 90.4 %
Forested Land Use 6.1 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 17/20 (Optimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 18/20 (Optimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = meters 		18/20 (Optimal)
Riffle Quality 20/20 (Optimal)
Shading 60 %
Embeddedness 0 %
Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Optimal' at this location.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 17.5 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 9.3 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.89
Conductivity 510 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		4723 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 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 5 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blacknose Dace 120
White Sucker 72
Fathead Minnow 9
Brown Trout 1
Rainbow Trout 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Northern Red 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
Baetis Blue-Winged Olive Mayfly 25
Simulium Black Fly 22
Crangonyx Amphipod 14
Lirceus Isopod 9
Micropsectra Non-Biting Midges 9
Gammarus Amphipod 8
Cricotopus/Orthocladius Midge 6
Thienemanniella Non-Biting Midges 5
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 4
Chironomus Non-Biting Midges 4
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 3
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 3
Antocha Crane Fly 3
Nanocladius Non-Biting Midges 2
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 2
Corynoneura Non-Biting Midges 1
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 1
Brillia Non-Biting Midges 1
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 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.