MBSS Site Summary for: LMON-107-R-2008

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site LMON-107-R-2008-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site LMON-107-R-2008-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on UT BUSH CREEK in the Lower Monocacy River watershed, 8-digit code: 02140302.
This stream was visited in the spring on 4/23/2008 and again in the summer on 7/15/2008.

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 Poor - 2.7 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Poor - 2.3 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 342 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 0.1 %
Agricultural Land Use 81.1 %
Forested Land Use 16.9 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 8/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 48 meters 		9/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 31 meters 		8/20 (Marginal)
Shading 75 %
Embeddedness 25 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 18.7 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 8.5 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.39
Conductivity 165 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		498.3 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 4.2321 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 4 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blacknose Dace 20
Blue Ridge Sculpin 4
Bluegill 2
White Sucker 2
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Northern Green Frog
Northern Two-Lined Salamander

Crayfish:
Cambarus bartonii bartonii
Orconectes virilis

Exotic Plants:
Garlic Mustard
Japanese Barberry
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Multiflora Rose
Tree Of Heaven
Wineberry
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Leuctra  Rolled-Winged Stonefly 83
Isoperla Stripetail Stonefly 12
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 9
Neophylax Caddisfly 4
Perlodidae Perlodid Stonefly 3
Ameletus Combmouthed Minnow Mayfly 2
Ceratopogon Biting Midge 2
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 2
Stenelmis Beetle 1
Tipula Crane Fly 1
Wormaldia Fingernet Caddisfly 1
Dolichopodidae Long-Legged Fly 1
Nigronia Megaloptera (Dark Fishfly) 1
Leptophlebiidae Pronggilled Mayfly 1
Hydrobius Water Scavenger Beetle 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.