MBSS Site Summary for: FR-P-015-304-96


Located on BENNETT CR in the Lower Monocacy River watershed, 8-digit code: 02140302.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/19/1996 and again in the summer on 8/19/1996.

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 Good - 4.7 / 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 16,580 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 1.7 %
Agricultural Land Use 70.8 %
Forested Land Use 26.9 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 18/20 (Optimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = meters 		19/20 (Optimal)
Riffle Quality 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 45 %
Embeddedness 20 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 22.3 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 9.3 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.13
Conductivity 144 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		445.8 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.4 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 23 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blue Ridge Sculpin 133
Fantail Darter 44
Central Stoneroller 42
Creek Chub 39
White Sucker 37
Longnose Dace 33
Blacknose Dace 31
Common Shiner 31
Fallfish 24
Potomac Sculpin 15
Redbreast Sunfish 7
Bluntnose Minnow 4
Northern Hogsucker 4
Tessellated Darter 4
Greenside Darter 3
River Chub 3
Rock Bass 3
Silverjaw Minnow 3
Yellow Bullhead 2
Lepomis Hybrid 1
Rosyface Shiner 1
Rosyside Dace 1
Smallmouth Bass 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Eastern American Toad
Northern Spring Peeper

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
No exotic plants noted.
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Cricotopus/Orthocladius Midge 30
Stenelmis Beetle 10
Optioservus Riffle Beetle 9
Strophopteryx Early Brown Stonefly 7
Hemerodromia Tiny Fly 6
Prosimulium Black Fly 5
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 5
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 4
Paracapnia Small Winter Stonefly 4
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 4
Zavrelimyia Non-Biting Midges 2
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 2
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 2
Thienemannimyia Non-Biting Midges 2
Simulium Black Fly 1
Chimarra Fingernet Caddisfly 1
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 1
Isonychia Slate Drake Mayfly 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.