MBSS Site Summary for: FR-P-265-351-96


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 - 2.0 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 15,993 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 19/20 (Optimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 18/20 (Optimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 18/20 (Optimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = meters 		18/20 (Optimal)
Riffle Quality 19/20 (Optimal)
Shading 80 %
Embeddedness 25 %
Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Optimal' at this location.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 21.7 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 9.3 mg/L
pH (lab) 8.65
Conductivity 218 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		1042 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 2.5 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 171
Central Stoneroller 75
Green Sunfish 73
Fantail Darter 60
Longnose Dace 54
Greenside Darter 27
Blacknose Dace 23
Bluntnose Minnow 18
Cutlip Minnow 17
Rock Bass 13
Bluegill 10
Northern Hogsucker 8
River Chub 8
Common Shiner 6
Redbreast Sunfish 3
Margined Madtom 2
Largemouth Bass 1
Lepomis Hybrid 1
Smallmouth Bass 1
Tessellated Darter 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Eastern Box Turtle
Eastern Gartersnake

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
No exotic plants noted.
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Paracapnia Small Winter Stonefly 62
Cricotopus/Orthocladius Midge 5
Optioservus Riffle Beetle 5
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 4
Hemerodromia Tiny Fly 3
Simulium Black Fly 2
Stegopterna Black Fly 1
Neophylax Caddisfly 1
Tipula Crane Fly 1
Stenelmis Beetle 1
Isonychia Slate Drake Mayfly 1
Lumbriculidae Worm 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.