MBSS Site Summary for: CATO-202-B-2010

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site CATO-202-B-2010-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site CATO-202-B-2010-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on Hollow Creek in the Catoctin Creek watershed, 8-digit code: 02140305.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/18/2010 and again in the summer on 6/14/2010.

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 Fair - 3.0 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Fair - 3.0 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 1,448 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 13 %
Agricultural Land Use 53.2 %
Forested Land Use 32.6 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 5/20 (Poor)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 67 meters 		10/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 19 meters 		13/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 65 %
Embeddedness 90 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 90%. This is relatively high, and may exclude some biota.


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 7.58
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		858.1 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.2968 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 6 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Bluntnose Minnow 334
Blacknose Dace 215
Creek Chub 29
Fantail Darter 24
White Sucker 24
Bluegill 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Northern Two-Lined Salamander

Crayfish:
Cambarus
Orconectes virilis

Exotic Plants:
Garlic Mustard
Japanese Honeysuckle
Mile-A-Minute
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Chimarra Fingernet Caddisfly 19
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 12
Neophylax Caddisfly 5
Orthocladiinae Midge 5
Diphetor Mayfly 5
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 4
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 4
Antocha Crane Fly 4
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 4
Rheotanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 4
Thienemannimyia Group Non-Biting Midges 4
Leptophlebiidae Pronggilled Mayfly 4
Sympotthastia Non-Biting Midges 3
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 2
Psephenus Water Penny 2
Clinocera Aquatic Dance Fly 2
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 2
Stenacron Mayfly 2
Hydrobaenus Midge 1
Chelifera Aquatic Dance Fly 1
Cricotopus Non-Biting Midges 1
Micropsectra Non-Biting Midges 1
Enchytraeidae Aquatic Worm 1
Stenelmis Beetle 1
Prosimulium Black Fly 1
Stegopterna Black Fly 1
Diamesa Bloodworm 1
Maccaffertium March Brown And Cahill Mayfly 1
Hemerodromia Tiny Fly 1
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 1
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 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.