National Capital Region Network Biological Stream Survey Macroinvertebrate Data

Macroinvertebrate and water chemistry data collected as part of the NCRN Biological Stream Monitoring Proocol. All data were collected during the Spring sampling season. In 2005, the National Capital Region Inventory and Monitoring Network (NCRN) initiated a long-term water quality and quantity monitoring program, funded in part by the National Park Service Water Resources Division. The Biological monitoring portion of the program is carried out every 6 years at 37 sites within 10 of the NCRN parks. The data collected using this protocol will provide much needed baseline information on the stream biological resources in the NCRN, particularly in terms of community structure and composition. The information will also be used to determine long term trends in community composition, as well as trends in the abundance and distribution of individual species. Macroinvertebrate and water chemistry data collected as part of the NCRN Biological Stream Monitoring Proocol. This data set incldues macroinvertebrate taxa lists from all streams sampled as well as water quatlity data collected at those streams. In addition, macroinvertebrate data were used to calculate an benthic index of biotic integrity (B-IBI) that can be used to assess the health of the stream based on the macroinvertebrate populations. All data were collected during the Spring sampling season.