MBSS Site Summary for: FR-P-545-325-96


Located on BUSH CR 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 8/19/1996.

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 11,917 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 5.4 %
Agricultural Land Use 59.1 %
Forested Land Use 34.3 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 18/20 (Optimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 18/20 (Optimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 18/20 (Optimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = meters 		18/20 (Optimal)
Riffle Quality 17/20 (Optimal)
Shading 80 %
Embeddedness 15 %
Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Optimal' at this location.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 18.2 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 9.6 mg/L
pH (lab) 8.77
Conductivity 208 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		690.1 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.6 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 18 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blue Ridge Sculpin 279
Blacknose Dace 70
White Sucker 52
Creek Chub 34
Longnose Dace 30
Central Stoneroller 22
Potomac Sculpin 21
Fallfish 17
Greenside Darter 10
Bluntnose Minnow 8
Fantail Darter 5
Bluegill 4
Common Shiner 2
American Eel 1
Cutlip Minnow 1
Largemouth Bass 1
Rock Bass 1
Rosyside Dace 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Long-Tailed Salamander
Northern Red Salamander
Northern Spring Peeper

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 28
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 14
Cricotopus/Orthocladius Midge 14
Prosimulium Black Fly 4
Hemerodromia Tiny Fly 4
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 3
Paramerina Non-Biting Midge 1
Strophopteryx Early Brown Stonefly 1
Tubificidae Aquatic Worm 1
Dubiraphia Riffle Beetle 1
Optioservus Riffle Beetle 1
Isonychia Slate Drake Mayfly 1
Paracapnia Small Winter Stonefly 1
Ephemerellidae Spiny Crawler Mayfly 1
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 1
Ostrocerca 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.