MBSS Site Summary for: FR-P-258-215-96


Located on FISHING CR in the Upper Monocacy River watershed, 8-digit code: 02140303.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/6/1996 and again in the summer on 8/23/1996.

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 - 2.8 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
(Hint: Screen readers will announce definitions; mouse users can hover over dotted text.)
Catchment area 4,631 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 0.6 %
Agricultural Land Use 73.4 %
Forested Land Use 23.4 %


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 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 16/20 (Optimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = meters 		16/20 (Optimal)
Riffle Quality 16/20 (Optimal)
Shading 90 %
Embeddedness 0 %
Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Optimal' at this location.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 19 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 8.9 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.44
Conductivity 68 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		436.5 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 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 20 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Potomac Sculpin 128
Bluntnose Minnow 64
Greenside Darter 61
Longnose Dace 40
Cutlip Minnow 26
Common Shiner 16
Spotfin Shiner 13
Fallfish 11
Bluegill 10
River Chub 10
Fantail Darter 6
Blacknose Dace 5
Redbreast Sunfish 4
Green Sunfish 3
Margined Madtom 3
Smallmouth Bass 3
Blue Ridge Sculpin 2
Central Stoneroller 2
Creek Chub 2
Rock Bass 2
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
No amphibians and reptiles noted.

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
No exotic plants noted.
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Prosimulium Black Fly 31
Paracapnia Small Winter Stonefly 15
Isonychia Slate Drake Mayfly 13
Cricotopus/Orthocladius Midge 9
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 7
Hemerodromia Tiny Fly 5
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 4
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 2
Rheotanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 2
Thienemanniella Non-Biting Midges 1
Optioservus Riffle Beetle 1
Corynoneura Non-Biting Midges 1
Ephemera Mayfly 1
Stylogomphus Clubtail Dragonfly 1
Sphaerium Fingernail Clam 1
Psephenus Water Penny 1
Stenelmis Beetle 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.