MBSS Site Summary for: LMON-252-T-2000

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site LMON-252-T-2000-01 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site LMON-252-T-2000-02 (Opens in a new window)

Located on CHURCH BR in the Lower Monocacy River watershed, 8-digit code: 02140302.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/30/2000 and again in the summer on 7/6/2000.

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 Good - 4.3 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Fair - 3.3 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 2,899 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 4.8 %
Agricultural Land Use 63.8 %
Forested Land Use 31 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 17/20 (Optimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 18/20 (Optimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 8 meters 		13/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 67 meters 		17/20 (Optimal)
Shading 90 %
Embeddedness 20 %
Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Optimal' at this location.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 17.6 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 8.3 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.21
Conductivity 150 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		376.8 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.3 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 12 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blacknose Dace 474
Blue Ridge Sculpin 412
Bluntnose Minnow 93
Central Stoneroller 77
Fantail Darter 58
Longnose Dace 33
Rosyside Dace 14
Potomac Sculpin 10
Creek Chub 6
White Sucker 5
Green Sunfish 3
Largemouth Bass 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Northern Two-Lined Salamander
Northern Watersnake

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
Clinocera Aquatic Dance Fly 20
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 18
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 17
Cricotopus Non-Biting Midges 11
Simulium Black Fly 7
Ferrissia Small Air-Breathing Freshwater Limpets 5
Tanytarsini Non-Biting Midges 3
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 3
Diamesa Bloodworm 3
Chimarra Fingernet Caddisfly 3
Cricotopus/Orthocladius Midge 3
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 2
Orthocladiinae A Non-Biting Midges 2
Antocha Crane Fly 2
Pisidiidae Pill Clam 2
Stenacron Mayfly 2
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 2
Cryptochironomus Non-Biting Midges 1
Oulimnius Riffle Beetle 1
Lumbriculidae Worm 1
Baetisca 1
Eurylophella Mayfly 1
Serratella Mayfly 1
Gomphidae Clubtail Dragonfly 1
Naididae Aquatic Worm 1
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 1
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Corynoneura 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.