MBSS Site Summary for: LMON-215-R-2017

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site LMON-215-R-2017-MidpointDownstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site LMON-215-R-2017-MidpointUpstream (Opens in a new window)

Located on Little Bennet Creek in the Lower Monocacy River watershed, 8-digit code: 02140302.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/29/2017 and again in the summer on 6/21/2017.

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 - 2.5 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 2,338 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 17.4 %
Agricultural Land Use 38.7 %
Forested Land Use 42.4 %


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 10/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 58 meters 		13/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 28 meters 		12/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 40 %
Embeddedness 30 %


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 7.53
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		594.4 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.4457 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 10 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blacknose Dace 495
Blue Ridge Sculpin 178
White Sucker 55
Fantail Darter 51
Potomac Sculpin 48
Central Stoneroller 47
Rosyside Dace 28
Longnose Dace 17
Creek Chub 7
American Eel 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Wood Frog

Crayfish:
Cambarus bartonii bartonii
Orconectes virilis

Exotic Plants:
Garlic Mustard
Japanese Barberry
Japanese Stiltgrass
Mile-A-Minute
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
POLYPEDILUM Non-Biting Midges 45
AMPHINEMURA Spring Stonefly 18
RHEOCRICOTOPUS Non-Biting Midges 10
THIENEMANNIMYIA GROUP Non-Biting Midges 10
TANYTARSUS Non-Biting Midges 5
CLINOCERA Aquatic Dance Fly 5
CHEUMATOPSYCHE Net-Spinning Caddisfly 4
MACCAFFERTIUM March Brown And Cahill Mayfly 3
CAPNIIDAE Small Winter Stonefly 3
TVETENIA Non-Biting Midges 2
POLYCENTROPUS Tube Maker Caddisfly 2
CORYNONEURA Non-Biting Midges 2
PARAMETRIOCNEMUS Non-Biting Midges 2
LEUCTRA  Rolled-Winged Stonefly 2
NEOPHYLAX Caddisfly 2
HEXATOMA Crane Fly 1
STENOCHIRONOMUS European Non-Biting Midge 1
CRANGONYX Amphipod 1
NAIDIDAE Aquatic Worm 1
BEZZIA Biting Midge 1
SIMULIUM Black Fly 1
SUBLETTEA 1
CRICOTOPUS Non-Biting Midges 1
HYDROBAENUS Midge 1
CLADOTANYTARSUS Non-Biting Midge 1
ACENTRELLA Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 1
OULIMNIUS Riffle Beetle 1
RHEOTANYTARSUS Non-Biting Midges 1
SYMPOTTHASTIA Non-Biting Midges 1
TANYTARSINI 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.