MBSS Site Summary for: LMON-121-R-2003

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site LMON-121-R-2003-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site LMON-121-R-2003-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on MONOCACY R UT4 in the Lower Monocacy River watershed, 8-digit code: 02140302.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/19/2003 and again in the summer on 6/24/2003.

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 - 1.8 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 1,090 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 11 %
Agricultural Land Use 70 %
Forested Land Use 19 %


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 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 36 meters 		13/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 39 meters 		15/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 93 %
Embeddedness 25 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 16 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 8.2 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.51
Conductivity 257 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		534.5 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 2 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 8 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Bluntnose Minnow 18
Spotfin Shiner 15
Blacknose Dace 13
Green Sunfish 12
Redbreast Sunfish 7
Bluegill 4
Creek Chub 1
Yellow Bullhead 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
No amphibians and reptiles noted.

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Stiltgrass
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Prosimulium Black Fly 51
Diamesa Bloodworm 8
Diamesinae Non-Biting Midges 7
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 7
Allocapnia Small Winter Stonefly 6
Naididae Aquatic Worm 5
Strophopteryx Early Brown Stonefly 4
Orthocladiinae Midge 4
Stenelmis Beetle 3
Ameletus Combmouthed Minnow Mayfly 2
Rhyacophila Free-Living Caddisfly 2
Girardia Freshwater Flatworm 2
Hydrobaenus Midge 2
Nemouridae Nemourid Stonefly 1
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 1
Lumbriculidae Worm 1
Limnephilidae Northern Casemaker Caddisfly 1
Enchytraeidae Aquatic Worm 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.