MBSS Site Summary for: LMON-227-T-2000

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site LMON-227-T-2000-01 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site LMON-227-T-2000-02 (Opens in a new window)

Located on BUSH CR in the Lower Monocacy River watershed, 8-digit code: 02140302.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/27/2000 and again in the summer on 7/5/2000.

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 Fair - 3.5 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 3,426 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 6.9 %
Agricultural Land Use 50.5 %
Forested Land Use 42.6 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 16/20 (Optimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 17/20 (Optimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 24 meters 		15/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 51 meters 		16/20 (Optimal)
Shading 70 %
Embeddedness 35 %
Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Optimal' at this location.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 20.7 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 9.4 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.37
Conductivity 350 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		661.6 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.9 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 14 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blacknose Dace 848
Longnose Dace 309
White Sucker 213
Blue Ridge Sculpin 166
Central Stoneroller 52
Pumpkinseed 37
Fantail Darter 35
Bluegill 23
Creek Chub 18
Rosyside Dace 13
Potomac Sculpin 12
Greenside Darter 7
Redbreast Sunfish 4
Green Sunfish 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Eastern Ratsnake
Northern Red Salamander
Northern Two-Lined Salamander

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Canada Thistle
Mile-A-Minute
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 45
Naididae Aquatic Worm 12
Stenelmis Beetle 8
Micropsectra Non-Biting Midges 7
Rheocricotopus Non-Biting Midges 5
Clinocera Aquatic Dance Fly 5
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 5
Conchapelopia Non-Biting Midges 3
Eurylophella Mayfly 3
Stagnicola Air Breathing Freshwater Snail 3
Physa Air-Breathing Freshwater Snail 2
Cricotopus/Orthocladius Midge 2
Tubificidae Aquatic Worm 2
Lype Net Tube Caddisfly 1
Cricotopus Non-Biting Midges 1
Apsectrotanypus Non-Biting Midges 1
Limonia 1
Diamesa Bloodworm 1
Tipula Crane Fly 1
Tipulidae Cranefly 1
Chimarra Fingernet Caddisfly 1
Girardia Freshwater Flatworm 1
Rheosmittia Non-Biting Midges 1
Capniidae Small Winter Stonefly 1
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 1
Orthocladiinae A Non-Biting Midges 1
Parametriocnemus 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.