“Chessie BIBI” stream health indicator
Interstate Commission on the Potomac River Basin
The Chesapeake basin-wide index of biotic integrity for stream macroinvertebrates, or “Chessie BIBI,” is a multi-metric index of stream health applicable to freshwater streams and small rivers across the Chesapeake Bay watershed. It is composed of family-level macroinvertebrate metrics (indicators) that are especially responsive to differences between high quality and degraded stream conditions.
Developed in 2011, the index is calculated from stream macroinvertebrate samples collected and counted by state, federal, and local agencies and other groups. The last time period for which index values were calculated was 2000-2010. Through a grant from the Chesapeake Bay Program, ICPRB updated the data set and refined the index in 2016-2017. A final report was reviewed by a technical advisory group and is available below.
The Chesapeake Bay Program will use the Chessie BIBI to track progress in restoring stream health in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. The focus of a proposed workshop in late 2017 will be establishment of a “2008 baseline” for the Chessie BIBI.
Full citation: Smith, Z., C. Buchanan, and A. Nagel. 2017. Refinement of the Basin-Wide Index of Biotic Integrity for Non-Tidal Streams and Wadeable Rivers in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. ICPRB Report 17-02. Interstate Commission on the Potomac River Basin. Available online at www.potomacriver.org.