MBSS Site Summary for: FR-P-101-233-96


Located on FAHRNEY BR in the Lower Monocacy River watershed, 8-digit code: 02140302.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/21/1996 and again in the summer on 8/16/1996.

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 - 4.3 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Poor - 1.8 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 5,020 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 2 %
Agricultural Land Use 80 %
Forested Land Use 16.9 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = meters 		11/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality 18/20 (Optimal)
Shading 35 %
Embeddedness 30 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 21.3 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 9.9 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.37
Conductivity 152 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		516.4 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 2.8 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 18 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blacknose Dace 194
Central Stoneroller 153
Fantail Darter 91
Longnose Dace 71
Bluntnose Minnow 69
Creek Chub 69
Blue Ridge Sculpin 47
Potomac Sculpin 39
Common Shiner 15
Silverjaw Minnow 11
Rosyside Dace 9
Redbreast Sunfish 6
Northern Hogsucker 4
River Chub 4
Fallfish 2
Spotfin Shiner 2
White Sucker 2
Greenside Darter 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
No amphibians and reptiles noted.

Crayfish:
Orconectes virilis

Exotic Plants:
No exotic plants noted.
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Orthocladiinae A Non-Biting Midges 31
Cricotopus/Orthocladius Midge 15
Diamesa Bloodworm 10
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 5
Stenelmis Beetle 5
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 5
Conchapelopia Non-Biting Midges 4
Cryptochironomus Non-Biting Midges 3
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 3
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 3
Clinocera Aquatic Dance Fly 3
Antocha Crane Fly 3
Crangonyx Amphipod 2
Neophylax Caddisfly 1
Hexatoma Crane Fly 1
Chrysops Deerfly 1
Strophopteryx Early Brown Stonefly 1
Diplectrona Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Dicrotendipes Non-Biting Midges 1
Optioservus Riffle Beetle 1
Allocapnia Small Winter Stonefly 1
Prostoia Spring 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.