Marin County Benthic Macroinvertebrate Sampling Program

Abstract:

The Marin County Stormwater Pollution Prevention Program (MCSTOPPP) began their Benthic Macroinvertebrate Sampling Program (BMI Program) in 1999. Five years of benthic macroinvertebrate data and physical habitat data have been collected using the California Stream Bioassessment Procedure (CSBP) developed by the California Department of Fish and Game and the Physical Assessment Methodology developed by the Environmental Protection Agency. MCSTOPPP contracted the Sustainable Land Stewardship Program (SLSI) to collect and analyze BMI Program data and MCSTOPPP will produce an analytical report summarizing the results in 2006. The BMI Program includes 30 sites from four major watersheds including Arroyo Corte Madera del Presidio in Mill Valley, Corte Madera Creek, Miller Creek, and Novato Creek. Data and BMI Program information for the first four years of the BMI Program can be viewed on the KRIS website under East Marin-Sonoma Aquatic Insects Topics at http://www.krisweb.com. Biological assessment results help MCSTOPPP to identify potential stressors to local waterways and to determine whether waterbodies support survival and reproduction of native aquatic species.

Purpose: The purpose of the BMI Project is to monitor and identify stressors to local waterways, to assess the condition of aquatic habitat and to gain a relative understanding of water quality. A goal is to understand the influences of adjacent land uses, possible causes of impairment, and to make ecological comparisons between sampling sites. In addition, the MCSTOPPP data will contribute to a regional dataset that is being developed by the Bay Area Macroinvertebrate Bioassessment Information Network (BAMBI). This dataset will be used to develop a San Francisco Bay Regional Index of Biotic Integrity (IBI). The IBI will be a useful tool for evaluating relative health at sites where BMI data is collected.

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Watersed Management Strategies:

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