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 Maine Department of Environmental Protection
 Biological Monitoring Program
 Stream Algae Report

Site Information
Name: Meduxnekeag River - Station 647 Sampled by: Houlton Band Of Maliseet Indians
Town: Houlton Method: Periphytometer
Biomonitoring Basin St. John And Allagash Sample ID: SA-647-2002P (185)
Sample Date: 2002-08-16 Taxonomist: Michigan State University
Location: Upstream Of I-95 And Below 2mdx1
Sample comments:
Latitude: 46.14202976
Longitude: -67.82263906

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 = B
Final Determination =
Attains Class =
Reason =
Model Result =
Prob. Class A =
Prob. Class B =
Prob. Class C =
Prob. NA =

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 1.91 0.90 0.00 9.15 0.00 1.08 <90th percentile
Nutrient-tolerant diatom richness 10.00 8.00 3.00 17.00 0.00 8.00 <90th percentile
Intermediate diatom richness 24.00 19.00 11.00 28.80 9.00 25.30 10th to 90th percentile
Intolerant algae percent species 16.22 18.75 3.70 42.27 22.12 72.41 >10th percentile
Motile diatom percent abundance 8.32 8.49 1.55 31.56 0.00 11.59 <90th percentile
Tolerant algae percent abundance 5.35 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) 44.38 42.67 37.09 49.07 0.00 42.34 <90th percentile
Nitrogen Index (all algae) 39.93 38.64 26.81 51.56 0.00 35.58 <90th percentile
Phosphorus Index (all algae) 60.67 58.62 38.59 76.56 0.00 53.06 <90th percentile
Intolerant algae percent species 6.00 6.00 1.00 14.00 5.00 23.00 >10th percentile
Intolerant algae richness 3.33 6.25 0.00 16.00 0.00 7.14 <90th percentile
Salt-tolerant diatom percent richness 85.87 89.95 61.14 98.30 45.42 97.96 10th to 90th percentile
Tolerant algae percent richness 18.92 16.67 0.00 41.38 0.00 14.29 <90th percentile
Nutrient- tolerant diatom percent abundance 51.89 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

Water velocity = 4 cm/s
Riffle = 60 %
Run = 40 %
Bedrock = 0 %
Boulder = 0 %
Cobble = 80 %
Gravel = 10 %
Sand = 10 %
Silt = 0 %
Clay = 0 %
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 2002-08-16 7.64 8.60 7.00 10.23 7.80 10.62 Milligrams Per Liter
pH 2002-08-16 7.63 7.12 6.21 7.97 6.00 7.55 Standard Ph Unit
Specific Conductance 2002-08-16 211.4 88.55 25.00 492.00 15.41 67.31 Microsiemens Per Centimeter
Temperature 2002-08-16 24.4 20.00 14.70 24.70 12.80 23.60 Degrees Celcius (Temperature)
Orthophosphate As Phosphorus 2002-08-16 6.6 2.00 1.00 11.00 1.00 3.00 Micrograms Per Liter
Total Alkalinity 2002-08-16 80 19.50 4.44 113.20 2.00 21.00 Milligrams Per Liter
Viewing Bucket
Viewing Bucket Table
Cover type Percent cover Cover group
Filament >1cm Long 0.65 Nuisance algae
Mat 1-5mm Thick 2.90 Nuisance algae
Mat 5mm-2cm Thick 2.58 Nuisance algae
Mat >2cm Thick 0.65 Nuisance algae
Sand / Mud 1.61 Not algae
Mat Not Visible 41.94 Thin algal layer
Mat Incomplete 41.94 Thin algal layer
Mat <1mm Thick 7.74 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): 288.2
Impervious Cover %: 2
Land Use Table
Cover Type Percent Category
Highly Urban 0.64 Developed
Urban 0.40 Developed
Residential 1.87 Developed
Water 2.14 Natural
Wetland 11.27 Natural
Forest 61.40 Natural
Grass 3.15 Agriculture
Cleared 0.43 Agriculture
Tilled 17.33 Agriculture

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

Site Information
Name: Meduxnekeag River - Station 647 Sampled by: Houlton Band Of Maliseet Indians
Town: Houlton Method: Periphytometer
Biomonitoring Basin St. John And Allagash Sample ID: SA-647-2002P (185)
Sample Date: 2002-08-16 Taxonomist: Michigan State University
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
Phormidium tergestinium Filamentous Cyanobacteria 0.339 0.025 42.6 53
Schizothrix Filamentous Cyanobacteria 0.230 0.003 NA
Achnanthidium minutissimum Pennate Diatom 0.126 0.005 1 2 2 7 N P 41.2
Cocconeis placentula var. euglypta Pennate Diatom 0.056 0.012 3 2 2 5 N P 58.2 45 81
Gomphonema clevei Pennate Diatom 0.043 0.019 N S 31.3
Achnanthidium deflexum Pennate Diatom 0.026 0.002 1 2 3 N P 43.5 40 52
Anabaena Filamentous Cyanobacteria 0.022 0.003 53.1
Gomphonema olivaceoides Pennate Diatom 0.015 0.005 1 1 1 3 N S 70.8 63 55
Navicula cryptotenella Pennate Diatom 0.013 0.003 2 2 7 M P 44.6 61 82
Fragilaria gracilis Pennate Diatom 0.011 0.001 1 1 2 2 N V 30.6 18 22
Encyonopsis microcephala Pennate Diatom 0.011 0.001 1 1 2 4 V S 34.8 17 24
Spirogyra 505m Filamentous Green 0.011 0.874 42.6 28 41
Cocconeis lineata Pennate Diatom 0.010 0.002 3 2 2 5 N P 51.5 62 82
Delicata delicatula Pennate Diatom 0.009 0.003 1 1 1 1 V S 31.3 21 22
Gomphonema pseudotenellum Pennate Diatom 0.006 0.000 N S 40.8
Reimeria sinuata Pennate Diatom 0.006 0.001 1 2 2 3 M P 60.9 65 88
Gomphonema parvulum Pennate Diatom 0.006 0.001 4 4 2 5 N S 42.2 21
Scenedesmus quadricauda Colonial Green 0.006 0.000 46.4 26 36
Gomphonema kobayasii Pennate Diatom 0.006 0.001 N S 71.2 50 79
Cocconeis pediculus Pennate Diatom 0.006 0.011 2 2 3 5 N P 72.3 68 88
Synedra rumpens Pennate Diatom 0.004 0.001 2 2 N E 34.3 20 32
Cocconeis placentula Pennate Diatom 0.004 0.002 3 2 2 5 N P NA 30 82
Fragilaria capitellata Pennate Diatom 0.004 0.000 3 2 5 N V 50.3 22
Navicula capitatoradiata Pennate Diatom 0.004 0.002 3 3 2 5 M P 68.5 62 78
Gomphonema angustatum Pennate Diatom 0.003 0.001 1 1 2 1 N S 58 50 84
Ulnaria ulna Pennate Diatom 0.003 0.012 3 4 2 N E 34.2 17 21
Nitzschia amphibia Pennate Diatom 0.003 0.001 3 3 2 5 H P 79.8 53 93
Encyonema silesiacum Pennate Diatom 0.003 0.001 3 3 2 7 V S 46.9 43 69
Achnanthes nollii Pennate Diatom 0.002 0.000 V P 26.9
Brachysira microcephala Pennate Diatom 0.002 0.000 2 1 2 2 M P 18 12 18
Navicula cryptocephala Pennate Diatom 0.002 0.000 3 3 2 7 M P 56.3 55 80
Closterium venus Desmid 0.002 0.001 NA 25 33
Fragilaria vaucheriae Pennate Diatom 0.002 0.000 3 3 2 5 N V 44.2 36
Navicula reichardtiana Pennate Diatom 0.001 0.000 3 2 M P 55.7 51 71
Gomphonema augur Pennate Diatom 0.001 0.002 1 2 2 4 N S NA
Gomphonema pumilum Pennate Diatom 0.001 0.000 2 7 N S 43.6 14 21
Tabellaria flocculosa Pennate Diatom 0.001 0.001 1 2 1 3 N U 18.8 17 32
Navicula notha Pennate Diatom 0.001 0.000 M P 37.4 20 34
Navicula radiosa Pennate Diatom 0.001 0.002 2 2 2 4 M P 41.8 34 73
Rhoicosphenia abbreviata Pennate Diatom 0.001 0.000 2 2 2 5 V S 83.4 72 96
Amphipleura pellucida Pennate Diatom 0.001 0.000 2 4 2 2 M P 43.8 20 59

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.