MBSS Site Summary for: LOCH-101-X-2014

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site LOCH-101-X-2014-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site LOCH-101-X-2014-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on PINEY RUN in the Loch Raven Reservoir watershed, 8-digit code: 02130805.
This stream was visited in the spring on 4/3/2014 and again in the summer on 7/17/2014.

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 - 5.0 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Poor - 2.7 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 1,799 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 19.1 %
Agricultural Land Use 59.8 %
Forested Land Use 19.3 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 19/20 (Optimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 18/20 (Optimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 18/20 (Optimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 39 meters 		16/20 (Optimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 34 meters 		18/20 (Optimal)
Shading 80 %
Embeddedness 25 %
Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Optimal' at this location.


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 7.59
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		785 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.5176 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
Common Shiner 232
Blue Ridge Sculpin 230
Longnose Dace 84
River Chub 48
Creek Chub 32
White Sucker 29
Blacknose Dace 24
Cutlip Minnow 20
Brown Trout 16
Bluegill 13
Rosyside Dace 11
Tessellated Darter 7
Green Sunfish 1
Margined Madtom 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Northern Green Frog

Crayfish:
Orconectes virilis

Exotic Plants:
Garlic Mustard
Japanese Stiltgrass
Multiflora Rose
Wineberry
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 43
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 18
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 10
Chimarra Fingernet Caddisfly 8
Antocha Crane Fly 7
Clinocera Aquatic Dance Fly 5
Stenelmis Beetle 5
Orthocladiinae Midge 5
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 3
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 3
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 2
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 2
Psephenus Water Penny 1
Optioservus Riffle Beetle 1
Baetidae Small Minnow Mayfly 1
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 1
Baetis Blue-Winged Olive Mayfly 1
Hydropsychidae Common Netspinner Caddisfly 1
Sublettea 1
Girardia Freshwater Flatworm 1
Glossosoma Little Black Caddisfly 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.