MBSS Site Summary for: CONO-205-R-2009

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site CONO-205-R-2009-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site CONO-205-R-2009-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on Meadow Brook in the Conococheague Creek watershed, 8-digit code: 02140504.
This stream was visited in the spring on 4/27/2009 and again in the summer on 6/25/2009.

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 - 4.0 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Poor - 2.3 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 3,336 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 5.6 %
Agricultural Land Use 81.5 %
Forested Land Use 12.2 %


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 3/20 (Poor)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 6/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 75 meters 		9/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 2 meters 		12/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 70 %
Embeddedness 40 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 14.2 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 7.7 mg/L
pH (lab) 8.11
Conductivity 655 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		5399.8 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 0.8737 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 5 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Fantail Darter 78
Blacknose Dace 50
Bluntnose Minnow 6
Creek Chub 6
Rock Bass 2
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Eastern Snapping Turtle
Northern Watersnake

Crayfish:
Orconectes virilis

Exotic Plants:
Garlic Mustard
Japanese Barberry
Japanese Honeysuckle
Multiflora Rose
Shrub Honeysuckle
Tree Of Heaven
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Gammarus Amphipod 42
Parakiefferiella European Non-Biting Midge 17
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 17
Crangonyx Amphipod 8
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 7
Naididae Aquatic Worm 5
Optioservus Riffle Beetle 5
Stenelmis Beetle 4
Paratendipes European Non-Biting Midge 3
Lirceus Isopod 3
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 3
Paraphaenocladius Non-Biting Midges 2
Tanytarsini Non-Biting Midges 2
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 2
Corynoneura Non-Biting Midges 2
Tubificidae Aquatic Worm 2
Thienemannimyia Group Non-Biting Midges 2
Tribelos Non-Biting Midges 1
Leptophlebiidae Pronggilled Mayfly 1
Leuctridae Rolledwinged Stonefly 1
Corixidae Water Boatman 1
Ceratopogonidae Biting Midge 1
Orthocladiinae Midge 1
Chimarra Fingernet Caddisfly 1
Chironomini Non-Biting Midge 1
Thienemanniella 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.