MBSS Site Summary for: FR-P-265-335-96


Located on MIDDLE CR in the Upper Monocacy River watershed, 8-digit code: 02140303.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/14/1996 and again in the summer on 8/5/1996.

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 Good - 4.7 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Poor - 2.3 / 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 16,053 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 0.9 %
Agricultural Land Use 40.6 %
Forested Land Use 57.3 %


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 16/20 (Optimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = meters 		18/20 (Optimal)
Riffle Quality 17/20 (Optimal)
Shading 80 %
Embeddedness 30 %
Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Optimal' at this location.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 19.9 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 9 mg/L
pH (lab) 8.75
Conductivity 222 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		1034 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 2.7 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
Potomac Sculpin 107
Green Sunfish 42
Longnose Dace 41
Fantail Darter 35
Greenside Darter 22
Bluegill 12
River Chub 12
Cutlip Minnow 11
Blacknose Dace 10
Redbreast Sunfish 9
Rock Bass 8
Northern Hogsucker 6
Central Stoneroller 5
Smallmouth Bass 5
Bluntnose Minnow 3
Largemouth Bass 2
Common Shiner 1
White Sucker 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Eastern American Toad
Eastern Box Turtle
Northern Spring Peeper

Crayfish:
Orconectes virilis

Exotic Plants:
No exotic plants noted.
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Paracapnia Small Winter Stonefly 69
Clinocera Aquatic Dance Fly 7
Cricotopus/Orthocladius Midge 5
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 3
Optioservus Riffle Beetle 2
Sialis Alderfly 1
Stegopterna Black 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.