Puerto Rico currently lacks a stream monitoring program with direct assessment and reporting on biological conditions.  This is partly attributed to a lack of development of biological assessment protocols applicable to tropical streams.  Recent studies of the macroinvertebrate assemblage in Puerto Rico have recognized the importance of elevation gradient and reference site condition for the development of bioassessment protocols.  With the use of a traveling kick net procedure, macroinvertebrate samples were collected from riffle areas of 19 stream sites in highly forested watersheds during the spring 2006.  Data were evaluated to discern the effects of elevation on several ecological attributes of the macroinvertebrate assemblage.  In addition, data were compared with previous data collected from similar streams having mixed urban, agriculture, and forest land use, and examined to determine the response of several taxa richness and composition metrics.  Results suggest the range of elevation studied did not significantly influence most biological measures.  Of the fifteen biometrics examined, five were able to distinguish between stream sites in highly forested verses mixed land use watersheds.  The study results support the use of a rapid bioassessment protocol that is effective and moderately sensitive to assess and monitor biological conditions.