MBSS Site Summary for: WA-V-175-216-95


Located on MEADOW BROOK in the Conococheague Creek watershed, 8-digit code: 02140504.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/6/1995 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 Fair - 3.3 / 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 3,866 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 0.7 %
Agricultural Land Use 88.6 %
Forested Land Use 10.1 %


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 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = meters 		17/20 (Optimal)
Riffle Quality 16/20 (Optimal)
Shading 97 %
Embeddedness 0 %
Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Optimal' at this location.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 23 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 8.4 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.82
Conductivity 530 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		4478 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 0 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 6 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blacknose Dace 239
Creek Chub 104
Fantail Darter 84
White Sucker 34
Rock Bass 7
Bluntnose Minnow 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
No amphibians and reptiles noted.

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
No exotic plants noted.
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Acerpenna Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 40
Optioservus Riffle Beetle 21
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 18
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 15
Lirceus Isopod 14
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 13
Simulium Black Fly 9
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 7
Pagastia 5
Antocha Crane Fly 4
Diamesa Bloodworm 3
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 2
Lype Net Tube Caddisfly 2
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 1
Neophylax Caddisfly 1
Prosimulium Black Fly 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.