MBSS Site Summary for: LOCH-121-A-2011

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site LOCH-121-A-2011-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site LOCH-121-A-2011-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on FIRST MINE BRANCH in the Loch Raven Reservoir watershed, 8-digit code: 02130805.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/14/2011 and again in the summer on 7/19/2011.

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 Fair - 3.0 / 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 1,085 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 4.9 %
Agricultural Land Use 62.5 %
Forested Land Use 30.4 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 16/20 (Optimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 10/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 22 meters 		8/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 53 meters 		15/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 70 %
Embeddedness 30 %


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 7.505
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		541.8 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.4397 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 6 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blacknose Dace 163
Blue Ridge Sculpin 65
Creek Chub 22
Longnose Dace 10
White Sucker 3
Rosyside Dace 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Eastern Box Turtle
Eastern Red-Backed Salamander
Northern Green Frog
Northern Two-Lined Salamander
Pickerel Frog

Crayfish:
Orconectes virilis

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Barberry
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Micropsectra Non-Biting Midges 69
Simulium Black Fly 11
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 9
Thienemannimyia Group Non-Biting Midges 9
LUMBRICULIDAE Worm 7
Rheotanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 6
CHIRONOMIDAE Non-Biting Midge 6
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 4
Phaenopsectra Non-Biting Midges 4
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 3
Antocha Crane Fly 3
GORDIIDAE Horsehair Worm 3
Tipula Crane Fly 2
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 2
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 1
Stenochironomus European Non-Biting Midge 1
Neophylax Caddisfly 1
Glossosoma Little Black Caddisfly 1
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Diplectrona Net-Spinning 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.