MBSS Site Summary for: CATO-301-R-2003

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site CATO-301-R-2003-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site CATO-301-R-2003-3 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site CATO-301-R-2003-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on CATOCTIN CR in the Catoctin Creek watershed, 8-digit code: 02140305.
This stream was visited in the spring on 4/8/2003 and again in the summer on 8/4/2003.

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 Good - 4.0 / 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 21,992 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 7 %
Agricultural Land Use 31 %
Forested Land Use 62 %


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 6/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 8/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 75 meters 		11/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 0 meters 		0/20 (Poor)
Shading 90 %
Embeddedness 35 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 25.2 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 7.7 mg/L
pH (lab) 8.42
Conductivity 165 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		470.5 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 2 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 24 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
White Sucker 101
Potomac Sculpin 72
Bluntnose Minnow 49
Redbreast Sunfish 40
Creek Chubsucker 27
Spottail Shiner 27
Golden Redhorse 25
Spotfin Shiner 22
Central Stoneroller 20
Fantail Darter 20
Green Sunfish 20
Greenside Darter 18
Common Shiner 17
Silverjaw Minnow 12
Fallfish 9
Yellow Bullhead 9
Tessellated Darter 7
Northern Hogsucker 6
Bluegill 5
Rock Bass 5
Longnose Dace 2
Golden Shiner 1
Lepomis Hybrid 1
Margined Madtom 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
No amphibians and reptiles noted.

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Canada Thistle
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Mile-A-Minute
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Tubificidae Aquatic Worm 18
Diamesa Bloodworm 18
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 13
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 11
Isonychia Slate Drake Mayfly 6
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 6
Clinocera Aquatic Dance Fly 6
Drunella Blue-Winged Olive Mayfly 5
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 4
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 3
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 2
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 2
Natarsia Non-Biting Midges 2
Paraphaenocladius Non-Biting Midges 2
Prosimulium Black Fly 2
Simulium Black Fly 1
Naididae Aquatic Worm 1
Neophylax Caddisfly 1
Ameletus Combmouthed Minnow Mayfly 1
Perlidae Common Stonefly 1
Perlodidae Perlodid Stonefly 1
Pisidiidae Pill Clam 1
Nigronia Megaloptera (Dark Fishfly) 1
Orthocladiinae Midge 1
Ferrissia Small Air-Breathing Freshwater Limpets 1
Psephenus Water Penny 1
Lumbriculidae Worm 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.