MBSS Site Summary for: FR-P-377-242-96


Located on BENNETT CR in the Lower Monocacy River watershed, 8-digit code: 02140302.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/21/1996 and again in the summer on 9/24/1996.

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 - 4.0 / 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 6,295 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 1.5 %
Agricultural Land Use 62.8 %
Forested Land Use 35.4 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 16/20 (Optimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = meters 		15/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 60 %
Embeddedness 31 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 14.3 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 9.2 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.17
Conductivity 130 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		264.3 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.7 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 19 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blacknose Dace 311
Central Stoneroller 224
Creek Chub 131
Rosyside Dace 104
Potomac Sculpin 91
Blue Ridge Sculpin 55
White Sucker 49
Fantail Darter 21
Fallfish 9
Longnose Dace 9
Northern Hogsucker 6
Bluegill 5
Bluntnose Minnow 4
Tessellated Darter 3
Lepomis Hybrid 2
Common Shiner 1
Pumpkinseed 1
Rock 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
Orthocladiinae A Non-Biting Midges 78
Cricotopus/Orthocladius Midge 15
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 3
Clinocera Aquatic Dance Fly 2
Prosimulium Black Fly 2
Diamesa Bloodworm 2
Paraleptophlebia Blue Quill Mayfly 2
Tipula Crane Fly 1
Heterotrissocladius European Non-Biting Midge 1
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 1
Nigronia Megaloptera (Dark Fishfly) 1
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 1
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 1
Sympotthastia Non-Biting Midges 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.