MBSS Site Summary for: FR-B-065-111-96


Located on CATOCTIN CR UT1 in the Catoctin Creek watershed, 8-digit code: 02140305.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/25/1996 and again in the summer on 6/13/1996.

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 Poor - 2.0 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 279 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 8.2 %
Agricultural Land Use 87.5 %
Forested Land Use 4.7 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 6/20 (Marginal)
Epifaunal Substrate 5/20 (Poor)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 8/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = meters 		7/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 70 %
Embeddedness 45 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 17.3 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 7.8 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.21
Conductivity 335 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		831.3 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.2 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 1 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blacknose Dace 21
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Northern Two-Lined Salamander

Crayfish:
Cambarus bartonii bartonii
Orconectes virilis

Exotic Plants:
No exotic plants noted.
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 34
Tubificidae Aquatic Worm 11
Stegopterna Black Fly 5
Baetidae Small Minnow Mayfly 5
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 4
Thienemannimyia Non-Biting Midges 4
Tipula Crane Fly 4
Chimarra Fingernet Caddisfly 3
Neophylax Caddisfly 3
Diamesa Bloodworm 2
Bezzia Biting Midge 2
Ceratopogon Biting Midge 2
Diplectrona Net-Spinning Caddisfly 2
Zavrelimyia Non-Biting Midges 2
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 2
Eurylophella Mayfly 2
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 2
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Optioservus Riffle Beetle 1
Chironomus Non-Biting Midges 1
Diamesinae Non-Biting Midges 1
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 1
Cura Flatworm 1
Pisidium Freshwater Pea (Pill) Clam 1
Prosimulium Black Fly 1
Stenelmis Beetle 1
Pseudolimnophila Crane 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.