MBSS Site Summary for: FR-P-275-239-96


Located on CHURCH BR OF BUSH 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 6/27/1996.

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 - 1.3 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 3,108 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 4.6 %
Agricultural Land Use 64.3 %
Forested Land Use 30.5 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 16/20 (Optimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 18/20 (Optimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 16/20 (Optimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = meters 		12/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality 17/20 (Optimal)
Shading 70 %
Embeddedness 20 %
Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Optimal' at this location.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 19 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 9.6 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.25
Conductivity 134 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		315.3 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.1 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 15 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blue Ridge Sculpin 349
Blacknose Dace 125
Fantail Darter 78
Potomac Sculpin 44
Longnose Dace 32
Rosyside Dace 10
White Sucker 8
Central Stoneroller 4
Fallfish 3
Largemouth Bass 3
Bluegill 2
Creek Chub 2
Redbreast Sunfish 2
Pumpkinseed 1
Rock Bass 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Northern Green Frog

Crayfish:
Cambarus bartonii bartonii
Orconectes virilis

Exotic Plants:
No exotic plants noted.
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 79
Potthastia Non-Biting Midges 10
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 5
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 5
Chimarra Fingernet Caddisfly 3
Taeniopterygidae Winter Stonefly 2
Baetisca 1
Prosimulium Black Fly 1
Antocha Crane Fly 1
Strophopteryx Early Brown Stonefly 1
Pisidium Freshwater Pea (Pill) Clam 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.