MBSS Site Summary for: CATO-408-R-2009

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site CATO-408-R-2009-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site CATO-408-R-2009-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on Catoctin Creek in the Catoctin Creek watershed, 8-digit code: 02140305.
This stream was visited in the spring on 4/14/2009 and again in the summer on 8/14/2009.

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 - 4.3 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Fair - 3.8 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 69,860 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 8.5 %
Agricultural Land Use 51.1 %
Forested Land Use 40 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 18/20 (Optimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 16/20 (Optimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 17/20 (Optimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 72 meters 		15/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 19 meters 		16/20 (Optimal)
Shading 60 %
Embeddedness 30 %
Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Optimal' at this location.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 24.3 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 8.5 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.83
Conductivity 275 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		896 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.669 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 25 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Bluntnose Minnow 185
Central Stoneroller 179
River Chub 151
Swallowtail Shiner 143
Common Shiner 126
Margined Madtom 119
Rosyface Shiner 114
Greenside Darter 84
Yellow Bullhead 83
Spotfin Shiner 64
Rainbow Darter 56
Cutlip Minnow 55
Longnose Dace 49
Redbreast Sunfish 49
Smallmouth Bass 25
Fallfish 24
Northern Hogsucker 15
Spottail Shiner 14
Fantail Darter 11
Silverjaw Minnow 7
American Eel 4
Rock Bass 4
Tessellated Darter 3
Creek Chub 2
Blacknose Dace 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Eastern American Toad
Fowler's Toad
Northern Green Frog
Northern Watersnake

Crayfish:
Cambarus bartonii bartonii
Orconectes virilis

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Multiflora Rose
Wineberry
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 20
Naididae Aquatic Worm 13
Stenelmis Beetle 10
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 8
Cladotanytarsus Non-Biting Midge 6
Chimarra Fingernet Caddisfly 6
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 6
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 6
Plauditus Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 5
Optioservus Riffle Beetle 5
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 5
Maccaffertium March Brown And Cahill Mayfly 4
Orthocladiinae Midge 3
Cricotopus Non-Biting Midges 3
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 2
Hydropsychidae Common Netspinner Caddisfly 2
Isonychia Slate Drake Mayfly 2
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 2
Rheotanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 2
Stempellinella Non-Biting Midges 2
Hemerodromia Tiny Fly 2
Psephenus Water Penny 2
Ceratopsyche 2
Thienemanniella Non-Biting Midges 1
Perlidae Common Stonefly 1
Ceratopogonidae Biting Midge 1
Girardia Freshwater Flatworm 1
Anthopotamus Golden Drake Mayfly 1
Cryptochironomus Non-Biting Midges 1
Dicrotendipes Non-Biting Midges 1
Brillia Non-Biting Midges 1
Ablabesmyia Non-Biting Midge 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.