MBSS Site Summary for: LMON-316-T-2000

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site LMON-316-T-2000-01 (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 3/15/2000 and again in the summer on 9/25/2000.

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 - 4.7 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Poor - 2.0 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
(Hint: Screen readers will announce definitions; mouse users can hover over dotted text.)
Catchment area 20,038 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 3.3 %
Agricultural Land Use 61.7 %
Forested Land Use 34.2 %


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 16/20 (Optimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 17 meters 		12/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 75 meters 		18/20 (Optimal)
Shading 45 %
Embeddedness 20 %
Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Optimal' at this location.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 16.8 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 9.3 mg/L
pH (lab) 8.8
Conductivity 290 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		974.4 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.6 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 23 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blue Ridge Sculpin 626
Bluntnose Minnow 270
Blacknose Dace 158
Potomac Sculpin 133
Longnose Dace 129
Greenside Darter 91
Spotfin Shiner 79
Fantail Darter 35
White Sucker 14
Redbreast Sunfish 12
Cutlip Minnow 9
Longear Sunfish 8
Silverjaw Minnow 8
Central Stoneroller 6
Smallmouth Bass 6
Northern Hogsucker 5
Common Shiner 3
Rainbow Darter 3
Tessellated Darter 3
Rock Bass 2
Largemouth Bass 1
Pumpkinseed 1
Spottail Shiner 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 Honeysuckle
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Cricotopus/Orthocladius Midge 33
Naididae Aquatic Worm 22
Clinocera Aquatic Dance Fly 12
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 8
Cricotopus Non-Biting Midges 4
Sympotthastia Non-Biting Midges 4
Ferrissia Small Air-Breathing Freshwater Limpets 3
Lumbriculidae Worm 3
Potthastia Non-Biting Midges 2
Rheosmittia Non-Biting Midges 2
Krenopelopia Non-Biting Midge 2
Isonychia Slate Drake Mayfly 2
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 2
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 2
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 2
Diamesa Bloodworm 2
Antocha Crane Fly 2
Ephemera Mayfly 1
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Psilometriocnemus 1
Simuliidae Black Fly 1
Orthocladiinae A Non-Biting Midges 1
Cryptochironomus Non-Biting Midges 1
Macronychus Riffle Beetle 1
Stempellinella 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.