MBSS Site Summary for: CATO-106-R-2003

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site CATO-106-R-2003-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site CATO-106-R-2003-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on CATOCTIN CR UT4 in the Catoctin Creek watershed, 8-digit code: 02140305.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/10/2003 and again in the summer on 7/2/2003.

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 - 1.0 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Fair - 3.3 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 220 acres Cows standing in a stream at a site with high agricultural land use. Cows survey the sampling procedure at this extreme example of a highly agriculturalized site.
Urban Land Use 6 %
Agricultural Land Use 88 %
Forested Land Use 3 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 9/20 (Marginal)
Epifaunal Substrate 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 7/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 42 meters 		7/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 33 meters 		11/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 95 %
Embeddedness 30 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 18.1 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 7.7 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.32
Conductivity 305 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		841.2 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 2.5 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 1 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
No Fish Observed 0
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
No amphibians and reptiles noted.

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Honeysuckle
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Ameletus Combmouthed Minnow Mayfly 61
Stegopterna Black Fly 14
Neophylax Caddisfly 8
Allocapnia Small Winter Stonefly 7
Leptophlebiidae Pronggilled Mayfly 7
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 6
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 3
Rheocricotopus Non-Biting Midges 2
Tipula Crane Fly 2
Prostoia Spring Stonefly 2
Isoperla Stripetail Stonefly 1
Optioservus Riffle Beetle 1
Tipulidae Cranefly 1
Clioperla Green-Winged Stonefly 1
Orthocladiinae Midge 1
Nemouridae Nemourid Stonefly 1
Perlodidae Perlodid Stonefly 1
Paraphaenocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Trichoptera Caddisfly 1
Pseudolimnophila Crane Fly 1
Diamesa Bloodworm 1
Paraleptophlebia Blue Quill Mayfly 1
Enchytraeidae Aquatic Worm 1
Ceratopogon Biting Midge 1
Prosimulium Black Fly 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.