MBSS Site Summary for: FR-B-081-229-96


Located on HUNTING CR in the Upper Monocacy River watershed, 8-digit code: 02140303.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/4/1996 and again in the summer on 6/5/1996.

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 Fair - 3.5 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Poor - 2.4 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 2,427 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 0 %
Agricultural Land Use 19.8 %
Forested Land Use 80 %


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 18/20 (Optimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 10/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = meters 		15/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality 17/20 (Optimal)
Shading 85 %
Embeddedness 35 %
Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Optimal' at this location.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 14 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 9.5 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.22
Conductivity 100 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		284 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.3 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
Blacknose Dace 94
Blue Ridge Sculpin 33
Longnose Dace 12
Brown Trout 6
Rainbow Trout 5
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Northern Two-Lined Salamander

Crayfish:
Cambarus bartonii bartonii

Exotic Plants:
No exotic plants noted.
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Prosimulium Black Fly 68
Stegopterna Black Fly 6
Allocapnia Small Winter Stonefly 4
Epeorus Mayfly 3
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 3
Diplectrona Net-Spinning Caddisfly 2
Baetis Blue-Winged Olive Mayfly 2
Prostoia Spring Stonefly 2
Pteronarcys Giant Stonefly 2
Oemopteryx Stonefly 1
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 1
Tipula Crane Fly 1
Rhyacophila Free-Living Caddisfly 1
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 1
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 1
Oulimnius Riffle Beetle 1
Tallaperla Roach-Like Stonefly 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.