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 Maine Department of Environmental Protection
 Biological Monitoring Program
 Stream Algae Report

Site Information
Name: East Branch Nezinscot River - Station 861 Sampled by: Biomonitoring Unit
Town: Buckfield Method: Rock Scrapings 1 Inch Circles
Biomonitoring Basin Androscoggin Sample ID: SA-861-2018R (1753)
Sample Date: 2018-07-11 Taxonomist: Ecoanalysts Idaho
Location: Upstream Of Rte. 140 And Jordan Rd.
Sample comments:
Latitude: 44.30312474
Longitude: -70.36093282

Three figures from left to right: On the far left, an outline of the state of Maine with the site location marked in blue. In the middle, a satellite image view of the area of the site, with waterbodies marked in blue, and the site marked in red, with a scale bar and north arrow. On the right, a downstream image of the sample site.

Model Results and Variable Plots

 Blue = this sample. Boxplots = range of all samples. Grey shaded areas = 90th and/or 10th percentile of reference site values.

Statutory Class = A
Final Determination = A
Attains Class = YES
Reason = Model
Model Result = A
Prob. Class A = 1.00
Prob. Class B = 0.00
Prob. Class C = 0.00
Prob. NA = 0.00

Boxplots of stream algae model metrics, including range of values from all samples, from reference sites, and this specific sample. Stream algae model metrics are in a table below.

Additional Variable Plots

 Blue = this sample. Boxplots = range of all samples. Grey shaded areas = 90th and/or 10th percentile of reference site values.

Boxplots of additional stream algae metrics, including range of values from all samples, from reference sites, and this specific sample. Additional stream algae metrics are in a table below.

Model Variables Table
Variable Sample value All data median All data 10th percentile All data 90th percentile Reference range lower limit Reference range upper limit Reference range description
Salt-tolerant diatom percent abundance 0.00 0.90 0.00 9.15 0.00 1.08 <90th percentile
Nutrient-tolerant diatom richness 4.00 8.00 3.00 17.00 0.00 8.00 <90th percentile
Intermediate diatom richness 13.00 19.00 11.00 28.80 9.00 25.30 10th to 90th percentile
Intolerant algae percent species 50.00 18.75 3.70 42.27 22.12 72.41 >10th percentile
Motile diatom percent abundance 3.17 8.49 1.55 31.56 0.00 11.59 <90th percentile
Tolerant algae percent abundance 0.19 1.19 0.00 17.43 0.00 1.05 <90th percentile
Additional Variables Table
Variable Sample value All data median All data 10th percentile All data 90th percentile Reference range lower limit Reference range upper limit Reference range description
Tolerance Index (all algae) 37.51 42.67 37.09 49.07 0.00 42.34 <90th percentile
Nitrogen Index (all algae) 25.46 38.64 26.81 51.56 0.00 35.58 <90th percentile
Phosphorus Index (all algae) 34.71 58.62 38.59 76.56 0.00 53.06 <90th percentile
Intolerant algae percent species 14.00 6.00 1.00 14.00 5.00 23.00 >10th percentile
Intolerant algae richness 0.00 6.25 0.00 16.00 0.00 7.14 <90th percentile
Salt-tolerant diatom percent richness 76.24 89.95 61.14 98.30 45.42 97.96 10th to 90th percentile
Tolerant algae percent richness 3.57 16.67 0.00 41.38 0.00 14.29 <90th percentile
Nutrient- tolerant diatom percent abundance 39.46 42.06 7.59 84.31 0.00 48.33 <90th percentile
Stream Characteristics and Water Chemistry Plots

 Blue = this sample. Boxplots = range of all samples. Grey shaded areas = 10th to 90th percentile of reference site values

Bankfull width = 16 m
Wetted width = 15 m
Depth = 23 cm
Water velocity = 27 cm/s
Riffle = 50 %
Run = 50 %
Canopy Cover = 52 %
Boulder = 10 %
Cobble = 40 %
Gravel = 30 %
Sand = 20 %
Boxplots of stream water chemistry. Values are in a table below.
Water Chemistry Table
Parameter Sample Date Sample value All data median All data 10th percentile All data 90th percentile Reference 10th percentile Reference 90th percentile Units
Dissolved Oxygen 2018-07-11 9.46 8.60 7.00 10.23 7.80 10.62 Milligrams Per Liter
pH 2018-07-11 6.75 7.12 6.21 7.97 6.00 7.55 Standard Ph Unit
Specific Conductance 2018-07-11 75.8 88.55 25.00 492.00 15.41 67.31 Microsiemens Per Centimeter
Temperature 2018-07-11 22 20.00 14.70 24.70 12.80 23.60 Degrees Celcius (Temperature)
Nitrate + Nitrite As Nitrogen 2018-07-11 0.06 0.08 0.02 0.61 0.01 0.09 Milligrams Per Liter
Orthophosphate As Phosphorus 2018-07-11 1 2.00 1.00 11.00 1.00 3.00 Micrograms Per Liter
Total Kjeldahl Nitrogen 2018-07-11 0.4 0.40 0.20 0.60 0.10 0.50 Milligrams Per Liter
Total Phosphorus 2018-07-11 18 18.00 7.00 48.00 4.00 18.00 Micrograms Per Liter
Viewing Bucket
Viewing Bucket Table
Cover type Percent cover Cover group
Filament 1-5cm Long 1.90 Nuisance algae
Freshwater Sponge 1.27 Not algae
Moss 2.54 Not algae
Plant 4.44 Not algae
Sand / Mud 20.63 Not algae
Mat Incomplete 54.60 Thin algal layer
Mat <1mm Thick 14.60 Thin algal layer

Barplot of viewing bucket substrate cover types, available in table on the right.

Land Use
Land Cover Data Source: MELCD 2004
Watershed Area (sq km): 97.1
Impervious Cover %: 2
Land Use Table
Cover Type Percent Category
Highly Urban 0.02 Developed
Urban 0.06 Developed
Residential 1.20 Developed
Water 0.67 Natural
Wetland 7.03 Natural
Forest 87.29 Natural
Grass 2.85 Agriculture
Cleared 0.02 Agriculture
Tilled 0.78 Agriculture

Barplots of landcover data from watershed upstream of sample location. Percentages are available in a table on the right

Site Information
Name: East Branch Nezinscot River - Station 861 Sampled by: Biomonitoring Unit
Town: Buckfield Method: Rock Scrapings 1 Inch Circles
Biomonitoring Basin Androscoggin Sample ID: SA-861-2018R (1753)
Sample Date: 2018-07-11 Taxonomist: Ecoanalysts Idaho
Taxa List (See key at end of report)

 Tolerance values color coding: Blue for sensitive, <32.20. Purple for intermediate, >=32.20 and <60. Red for tolerant, >=60.

Name Group RA RB Oxy Sap Sal Tr Mot GF Tol TN TP
Achnanthidium minutissimum Pennate Diatom 0.393 0.028 1 2 2 7 N P 41.2
Fragilaria gracilis Pennate Diatom 0.087 0.015 1 1 2 2 N V 30.6 18 22
Chroococcales Cyanobacteria 0.082 0.002 NA
Gomphonema parvulum Pennate Diatom 0.079 0.048 4 4 2 5 N S 42.2 21
Gomphonema caperatum Pennate Diatom 1 0.072 0.056 N S NA
Unknown green colonial coccoid Colonial Green 0.030 0.004 NA
Leptolyngbya Filamentous Cyanobacteria 0.024 0.000 38.3 28 75
Fragilaria vaucheriae Pennate Diatom 0.018 0.009 3 3 2 5 N V 44.2 36
Oscillatoria Filamentous Cyanobacteria 0.018 0.007 NA
Tabellaria flocculosa Pennate Diatom 0.015 0.052 1 2 1 3 N U 18.8 17 32
Eunotia bilunaris Pennate Diatom 0.012 0.028 2 2 2 7 V E 37.6 17 28
Gomphonema Pennate Diatom 0.011 0.062 N S 15.1
Brachysira microcephala Pennate Diatom 0.011 0.004 2 1 2 2 M P 18 12 18
Eunotia Pennate Diatom 0.011 0.036 V E NA
Eunotia pectinalis Pennate Diatom 0.011 0.031 1 2 1 3 V E 12.9
Gomphonema turgidum Pennate Diatom 0.010 0.120 N S NA
Eunotia implicata Pennate Diatom 0.010 0.017 1 V E 28.3 16 15
Eunotia minor Pennate Diatom 0.010 0.009 1 1 V E 42.4 19 34
Encyonopsis subminuta Pennate Diatom 0.008 0.001 V S NA 30 36
Gomphonema gracile Pennate Diatom 0.006 0.004 1 1 2 3 N S 21.9 13 20
Eunotia rhomboidea Pennate Diatom 0.006 0.021 1 1 1 1 V E 15.8 9 1
Fragilaria sepes Pennate Diatom 0.006 0.005 1 1 1 2 N V 32.1 18 39
Fragilariforma Pennate Diatom 0.006 0.012 N V NA
Ulnaria ulna Pennate Diatom 0.006 0.089 3 4 2 N E 34.2 17 21
Undetermined Green Filament Colonial Green 0.006 0.004 NA
Phormidium Filamentous Cyanobacteria 0.005 0.001 42.6 60
Aulacoseira nygaardii Centric Diatom 0.004 0.005 N U NA
Eunotia monodon Pennate Diatom 0.004 0.188 1 1 1 1 V E NA 33
Ulnaria contracta Pennate Diatom 0.004 0.024 N E NA
Gomphonema acuminatum Pennate Diatom 0.003 0.030 2 2 2 5 N S 26.7 13 15
Aulacoseira alpigena Centric Diatom 0.003 0.001 1 1 1 1 N U 43.4 25 51
Aulacoseira tenella Centric Diatom 0.003 0.002 N U NA
Chamaepinnularia Pennate Diatom 0.003 0.000 M P NA
Encyonema neogracile Pennate Diatom 0.003 0.003 1 1 1 2 V S 24 7
Geissleria acceptata Pennate Diatom 0.003 0.001 1 2 1 M P 50.8 80 89
Navicula angusta Pennate Diatom 0.003 0.010 1 1 1 1 M P 11.8
Neidium densestriatum Pennate Diatom 0.003 0.007 M P NA
Stauroneis Pennate Diatom 0.003 0.048 M P NA
Chlamydomonadaceae Unicellular Green 0.002 0.001 NA
Monoraphidium contortum Colonial Green 0.002 0.000 NA
Scenedesmus Colonial Green 0.002 0.001 NA
Cocconeis lineata Pennate Diatom 0.001 0.002 3 2 2 5 N P 51.5 62 82
Encyonema silesiacum Pennate Diatom 0.001 0.001 3 3 2 7 V S 46.9 43 69
Eunotia paludosa Pennate Diatom 0.001 0.000 1 1 1 1 V E 19.9
Mougeotia Filamentous Green 0.001 0.002 26.9 10 12
Navicula rhynchocephala Pennate Diatom 0.001 0.006 4 2 2 7 M P 62.1 44 78
Stigeoclonium Filamentous Green 0.001 0.000 42.6
Monoraphidium arcuatum Colonial Green 0.000 0.000 NA

Taxa List Key
Column Name Description
RA Relative Abundance number of cells (density of cells per square centimeter) in a sample / total abundance of all taxa
RB Relative Biovolume Volume of a taxon’s cells in a sample / volume of all algae cells in a sample
Oxy van Dam Oxygen tolerance 1=100% DO saturation, 2=>75% DO saturation, 3=>50% DO saturation, 4=>30% DO saturation, 5=<30% DO saturation
Sap van Dam Saprobic value Saprobic values relate to the amount of organic pollution, biological oxygen demand, and DO concentrations. Values range from 1 (intolerant of organic pollution) to 5 (highly tolerant of organic pollution)
Sal van Dam Salinity value 1=freshwater (<100 mg/L chloride) , 2=fresh-brackish (<500 mg/L), 3=brackish-freshwater (500-1000 mg/L), 4=brackish (1000-5000 mg/L)
Tr van Dam Trophic value 1=oligotraphentic, 2=oligo-mesotraphentic, 3=mesotraphentic, 4=meso-eutraphentic, 5=eutraphentic, 6=hypereutraphentic, 7=indifferent to trophic state
Mot Motility of Diatoms Motility (capability of movement in water or on substrates) based on genus (Wang et al. 2005): N= not motile, M = motile , H = highly motile, V=variable within genus
GF Growth Forms E= erect, P=prostrate, S=stalked, U=unattached, V=variable (based on communication with R. Jan Stevenson)
Tol Tolerance value Tolerance to a combination of watershed disturbance, conductivity, and nutrient enrichment (based on Maine data). Value range from 1=most senstive to 100=most tolerant.
TN TN value Preference for total nitrogen (TN) based on Maine data. Values range from 1=low TN concentrations to 100=high TN concentrations.
TP TP value Preference for total phosphorus (TP) based on Maine data. Values range from 1=low TP concentrations to 100=high TP concentrations.