MBSS Site Summary for: WA-V-148-305-95


Located on LITTLE ANTIETAM CR in the Antietam Creek watershed, 8-digit code: 02140502.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/7/1995 and again in the summer on 6/1/1995.

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 - 5.0 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Poor - 2.8 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 10,440 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 50.1 %
Forested Land Use 49.5 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 18/20 (Optimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 16/20 (Optimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = meters 		17/20 (Optimal)
Riffle Quality 16/20 (Optimal)
Shading 20 %
Embeddedness 45 %
Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Optimal' at this location.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 15.5 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 14.6 mg/L
pH (lab) 8.22
Conductivity 241 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		2658 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 14 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blue Ridge Sculpin 503
Longnose Dace 435
Blacknose Dace 335
Fantail Darter 191
Potomac Sculpin 107
Bluntnose Minnow 79
White Sucker 76
Common Shiner 10
Rainbow Trout 7
Rock Bass 7
Cutlip Minnow 6
Green Sunfish 5
Creek Chub 1
Northern Hogsucker 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Northern Green Frog

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
No exotic plants noted.
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Cricotopus/Orthocladius Midge 34
Optioservus Riffle Beetle 29
Baetis Blue-Winged Olive Mayfly 24
Stenelmis Beetle 18
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 13
Antocha Crane Fly 12
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 9
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 8
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 8
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 7
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 5
Chimarra Fingernet Caddisfly 4
Orthocladiinae A Non-Biting Midges 2
Paratanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 1
Procladius Non-Biting Midge 1
Conchapelopia Non-Biting Midges 1
Cura Flatworm 1
Prosimulium Black Fly 1
Crangonyx Amphipod 1
Naididae Aquatic Worm 1
Tubificidae Aquatic 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.