MBSS Site Summary for: FR-P-319-352-96


Located on OWENS CR in the Upper Monocacy River watershed, 8-digit code: 02140303.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/19/1996 and again in the summer on 9/21/1996.

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 Fair - 3.0 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 16,950 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 0.2 %
Agricultural Land Use 31.9 %
Forested Land Use 67 %


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 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 16/20 (Optimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = meters 		17/20 (Optimal)
Riffle Quality 17/20 (Optimal)
Shading 30 %
Embeddedness 35 %
Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Optimal' at this location.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 15 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 9.3 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.63
Conductivity 100 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		551.2 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.4 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 268
Blue Ridge Sculpin 111
Fantail Darter 44
Longnose Dace 37
Central Stoneroller 29
Greenside Darter 28
Bluntnose Minnow 21
Creek Chub 21
Blacknose Dace 20
Common Shiner 5
Northern Hogsucker 5
Pumpkinseed 5
White Sucker 4
Green Sunfish 3
Bluegill 2
Fallfish 2
Redbreast Sunfish 2
Rock Bass 2
Largemouth Bass 1
Spotfin Shiner 1
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
Prostoia Spring Stonefly 29
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 12
Optioservus Riffle Beetle 10
Cricotopus/Orthocladius Midge 8
Isonychia Slate Drake Mayfly 6
Hemerodromia Tiny Fly 5
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 4
Sympotthastia Non-Biting Midges 3
Caenis Mayfly 3
Prosimulium Black Fly 2
Neophylax Caddisfly 1
Stylogomphus Clubtail Dragonfly 1
Pseudolimnophila Crane Fly 1
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 1
Stenelmis Beetle 1
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Chironomus Non-Biting Midges 1
Zavrelimyia Non-Biting Midges 1
Allocapnia Small Winter Stonefly 1
Polycentropus Tube Maker Caddisfly 1
Taeniopterygidae Winter 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.