MBSS Site Summary for: LOCH-101-X-2023

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site LOCH-101-X-2023_Midpoint_facing_downstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site LOCH-101-X-2023_Midpoint_facing_upstream (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 3/1/2023 and again in the summer on 6/21/2023.

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 - 1.3 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area No data available 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 20.3 %
Agricultural Land Use 58.5 %
Forested Land Use 20.9 %


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 17/20 (Optimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 55 meters 		13/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 20 meters 		16/20 (Optimal)
Shading 40 %
Embeddedness 45 %
Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Optimal' at this location.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 16.6 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 8.26 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.6
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		978.8 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.018 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
Bluntnose Minnow 196
Common Shiner 176
White Sucker 115
Longnose Dace 102
Blue Ridge Sculpin 89
Brown Trout 68
Cutlip Minnow 57
Creek Chub 31
River Chub 27
Tessellated Darter 15
Bluegill 12
Rosyside Dace 10
Blacknose Dace 8
Smallmouth Bass 4
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Northern Two-Lined Salamander

Crayfish:
Faxonius 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 49
RHEOTANYTARSUS Non-Biting Midges 8
HYDROPSYCHE Net-Spinning Caddisfly 6
ANTOCHA Crane Fly 5
MICROTENDIPES Non-Biting Midges 5
PARAMETRIOCNEMUS Non-Biting Midges 4
CHEUMATOPSYCHE Net-Spinning Caddisfly 4
THIENEMANNIELLA Non-Biting Midges 4
CARDIOCLADIUS Non-Biting Midge 3
PARAKIEFFERIELLA European Non-Biting Midge 3
EUKIEFFERIELLA Non-Biting Midges 3
CORYNONEURA Non-Biting Midges 2
PARATANYTARSUS Non-Biting Midges 2
CHIMARRA Fingernet Caddisfly 2
PHYSA Air-Breathing Freshwater Snail 2
THIENEMANNIMYIA GROUP Non-Biting Midges 2
SYMPOTTHASTIA Non-Biting Midges 2
TANYTARSUS Non-Biting Midges 1
TVETENIA Non-Biting Midges 1
AGABUS Predatory Aquatic Beetle 1
CHIRONOMIDAE Non-Biting Midge 1
SUBLETTEA 1
SYNORTHOCLADIUS 1
POLYPEDILUM Non-Biting Midges 1
DICROTENDIPES 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.