Volunteers Malvika Shrimali and Derek Zurfluh collect macros from a stream riffle. Photo by Abigail Zurfluh

Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy recently partnered with the Waterford Foundation for a benthic macroinvertebrate survey at Balls Run on Phillips Farm in Waterford. Under the leadership of certified monitor Abigail Zurfluh (who is also Historic Preservation Director at the Waterford Foundation), volunteers Derek Zurfluh, Malvika Shrimali, and Kelly and Olivia Harney used the Virginia Save Our Streams rocky bottom protocol to assess the stream’s health.

Balls Run scored an impressive 11 out of 12, indicating acceptable ecological conditions. The results were especially encouraging as the previous survey resulted in a score of 8, indicating indeterminate ecological conditions,

A happy Balls Run survey team after learning the stream scored an impressive 11 out of 12.
Photo by Abigail Zurfluh

The survey revealed a wide diversity of macroinvertebrates, from pollution-sensitive mayflies and stoneflies to somewhat pollution-sensitive net-spinning caddisflies, along with pollution-tolerant species like black flies, flatworms and leeches. This variety of macros highlights the important role all macroinvertebrates play in stream health. Having a diverse range of species, not just pollution-sensitive ones, is key to maintaining a healthy ecosystem.

We look forward to continuing our partnership with the Waterford Foundation to monitor and track stream health on the Phillips Farm property and are so grateful to our wonderful volunteers who make these surveys possible.

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