MBSS Site Summary for: WA-V-170-217-95


Located on TOMS RUN in the Little Conococheague watershed, 8-digit code: 02140505.
This stream was visited in the spring on 4/20/1995 and again in the summer on 7/25/1995.

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 - 4.3 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Fair - 3.3 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 947 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 0 %
Agricultural Land Use 19.2 %
Forested Land Use 80.3 %


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 5/20 (Poor)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = meters 		14/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 60 %
Embeddedness 60 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 60%. This is relatively high, and may exclude some biota.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 20 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 8.8 mg/L
pH (lab) 8.21
Conductivity 240 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		2325 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 12 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Central Stoneroller 198
Blacknose Dace 166
Blue Ridge Sculpin 163
Creek Chub 106
Fantail Darter 66
White Sucker 24
Bluegill 12
Potomac Sculpin 9
Largemouth Bass 5
Longnose Dace 2
Yellow Bullhead 2
Pumpkinseed 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Northern Green Frog
Northern Red Salamander
Northern Two-Lined Salamander
Northern Watersnake

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
No exotic plants noted.
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Optioservus Riffle Beetle 36
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 18
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 16
Thienemannimyia Non-Biting Midges 11
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 7
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 7
Leuctra  Rolled-Winged Stonefly 7
Paraleptophlebia Blue Quill Mayfly 7
Gammarus Amphipod 6
Stenelmis Beetle 5
Anchytarsus Beetle 4
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 3
Cricotopus Non-Biting Midges 3
Empididae Dance Fly 2
Prosimulium Black Fly 2
Stylogomphus Clubtail Dragonfly 2
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 2
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 2
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 2
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 2
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 1
Polycentropus Tube Maker Caddisfly 1
Psephenus Water Penny 1
Oulimnius Riffle Beetle 1
Perlidae Common Stonefly 1
Probezzia Biting Midges 1
Naididae Aquatic Worm 1
Heterotrissocladius European Non-Biting Midge 1
Rhyacophila Free-Living Caddisfly 1
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 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.