MBSS Site Summary for: LMON-337-R-2003

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site LMON-337-R-2003-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site LMON-337-R-2003-3 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site LMON-337-R-2003-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on BENS BR in the Lower Monocacy River watershed, 8-digit code: 02140302.
This stream was visited in the spring on 4/3/2003 and again in the summer on 8/21/2003.

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 - 2.3 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 9,890 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 %
Agricultural Land Use 70 %
Forested Land Use 22 %


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 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 55 meters 		15/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 30 meters 		16/20 (Optimal)
Shading 83 %
Embeddedness 35 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 20.5 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 7.6 mg/L
pH (lab) 8.69
Conductivity 263 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		1303 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.4 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 13 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blue Ridge Sculpin 152
Blacknose Dace 49
Potomac Sculpin 42
Bluntnose Minnow 29
Longnose Dace 26
Green Sunfish 21
Greenside Darter 13
Fantail Darter 7
Yellow Bullhead 7
Bluegill 2
Largemouth Bass 2
Northern Hogsucker 2
Spotfin Shiner 2
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
No amphibians and reptiles noted.

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Stiltgrass
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Hydrobaenus Midge 23
Rheosmittia Non-Biting Midges 12
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 9
Simulium Black Fly 8
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 7
Rheocricotopus Non-Biting Midges 7
Clinocera Aquatic Dance Fly 5
Stenelmis Beetle 5
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 4
Sympotthastia Non-Biting Midges 4
Conchapelopia Non-Biting Midges 4
Eurylophella Mayfly 3
Orthocladiinae Midge 3
Stegopterna Black Fly 3
Diamesa Bloodworm 2
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 2
Caenis Mayfly 2
Leptophlebiidae Pronggilled Mayfly 2
Crangonyctidae Scud 1
Neophylax Caddisfly 1
Hydropsychidae Common Netspinner Caddisfly 1
Chimarra Fingernet Caddisfly 1
Thienemanniella 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.