MBSS Site Summary for: LMON-302-R-2008

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site LMON-302-R-2008-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site LMON-302-R-2008-2 (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 3/25/2008 and again in the summer on 7/9/2008.

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 Good - 4.7 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Fair - 3.0 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 4,504 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 8 %
Agricultural Land Use 50.2 %
Forested Land Use 41.5 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 60 meters 		12/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 18 meters 		9/20 (Marginal)
Shading 60 %
Embeddedness 25 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 23 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 11.4 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.65
Conductivity 238 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		481.4 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 0.793 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 596
Blue Ridge Sculpin 453
Fantail Darter 183
Rosyside Dace 153
Central Stoneroller 104
Potomac Sculpin 36
Longnose Dace 19
White Sucker 13
Creek Chub 7
Rock Bass 5
Northern Hogsucker 3
Common Shiner 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Eastern American Toad
Gray Treefrog
Northern Green Frog
Northern Two-Lined Salamander

Crayfish:
Orconectes virilis

Exotic Plants:
Garlic Mustard
Japanese Honeysuckle
Mile-A-Minute
Multiflora Rose
Tree Of Heaven
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 55
Leuctra  Rolled-Winged Stonefly 6
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 6
Optioservus Riffle Beetle 6
Leuctridae Rolledwinged Stonefly 5
Eurylophella Mayfly 4
Prosimulium Black Fly 4
Chimarra Fingernet Caddisfly 4
Neophylax Caddisfly 3
Crangonyx Amphipod 2
Oulimnius Riffle Beetle 2
Corynoneura Non-Biting Midges 2
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 2
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 2
Prostoia Spring Stonefly 2
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 1
Polycentropus Tube Maker Caddisfly 1
Isonychia Slate Drake Mayfly 1
Thienemannimyia Group Non-Biting Midges 1
Perlodidae Perlodid Stonefly 1
Orthocladiinae Midge 1
Nemouridae Nemourid Stonefly 1
Naididae Aquatic Worm 1
Simulium Black Fly 1
Gomphidae Clubtail Dragonfly 1
Acroneuria Golden Stoneflies 1
Caenis Mayfly 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.