MBSS Site Summary for: FR-P-360-220-96


Located on BUSH CR UT1 in the Lower Monocacy River watershed, 8-digit code: 02140302.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/18/1996 and again in the summer on 6/10/1996.

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 Fair - 3.7 / 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 844 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 2.5 %
Agricultural Land Use 83.7 %
Forested Land Use 12.9 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 5/20 (Poor)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = meters 		15/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 85 %
Embeddedness 45 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 21 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 7.6 mg/L
pH (lab) 8.05
Conductivity 225 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		880.5 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 2.3 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 6 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blacknose Dace 213
Longnose Dace 64
Blue Ridge Sculpin 19
Fantail Darter 13
Bluntnose Minnow 3
Central Stoneroller 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Eastern American Toad
Northern Two-Lined Salamander

Crayfish:
Cambarus bartonii bartonii

Exotic Plants:
No exotic plants noted.
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Prosimulium Black Fly 15
Cricotopus/Orthocladius Midge 14
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 8
Thienemanniella Non-Biting Midges 7
Paramerina Non-Biting Midge 7
Conchapelopia Non-Biting Midges 7
Rheotanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 6
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 5
Allocapnia Small Winter Stonefly 4
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 4
Pseudolimnophila Crane Fly 3
Paraleptophlebia Blue Quill Mayfly 2
Paracapnia Small Winter Stonefly 2
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 1
Acerpenna Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 1
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 1
Rhyacophila Free-Living Caddisfly 1
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 1
Bezzia Biting Midge 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.