MBSS Site Summary for: CATO-101-X-2011

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site CATO-101-X-2011-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site CATO-101-X-2011-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on SPRUCE RUN in the Catoctin Creek watershed, 8-digit code: 02140305.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/15/2011 and again in the summer on 6/27/2011.

Index of Biotic Integrity (IBI) Results:

An Index of Biotic Integrity (IBI) is a scientific tool used to identify and classify stream health. An IBI associates anthropogenic influences on a stream or with biological condition in the stream, and is formulated using data developed from biosurveys.
Details on the development and application of MBSS IBIs are in this document.
Fish IBI Poor - 2.5 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Poor - 2.8 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 1,333 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 4.9 %
Agricultural Land Use 6.7 %
Forested Land Use 88.4 %


Stream showing woody debris, logs, and rocky substrate.
An example of woody debris in a stream.

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 10/20 (Marginal)
Epifaunal Substrate 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 9/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 75 meters 		10/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 6 meters 		7/20 (Marginal)
Shading 65 %
Embeddedness 10 %


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 7.165
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		193.2 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.555 mg/L

Biological Stream Condition:

Surveys of the organisms living within a stream can give indications of stream health. Species richness, or the number of different species present, as well as indicator species (species whose presence, absence or abundance can serve as a measure of environmental conditions) are informative for stream health. 		Close-up of a mayfly indicator species.

Fish Survey Results:
The following 4 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blacknose Dace 95
Creek Chub 15
Blue Ridge Sculpin 2
Fantail Darter 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Eastern Red-Backed Salamander

Crayfish:
Cambarus bartonii bartonii

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Barberry
Japanese Stiltgrass
Wineberry
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Prosimulium Black Fly 36
NEMOURIDAE Nemourid Stonefly 11
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 8
Neophylax Caddisfly 8
Stegopterna Black Fly 7
Wormaldia Fingernet Caddisfly 6
Tipula Crane Fly 4
EPHEMERELLIDAE Spiny Crawler Mayfly 4
Ameletus Combmouthed Minnow Mayfly 3
Stempellina 2
Orthocladiinae Midge 2
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 2
LEPTOPHLEBIIDAE Pronggilled Mayfly 2
Oulimnius Riffle Beetle 2
Optioservus Riffle Beetle 1
Isoperla Stripetail Stonefly 1
Taeniopteryx Winter Stonefly 1
Paraphaenocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
PERLODIDAE Perlodid Stonefly 1
Micropsectra Non-Biting Midges 1
Chaetocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Leuctra  Rolled-Winged Stonefly 1
Ceratopogon Biting Midge 1
Pycnopsyche Great Autumn Brown Sedge Caddisfly 1
Kick net sampling for macroinvertebrates.
Sampling with a kick net.

Information disclaimer: The information and data on this page is for guidance and general planning purposes only. It should not be used to make decisions on specific matters.