MBSS Site Summary for: LOCH-121-R-2002

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site LOCH-121-R-2002-492 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site LOCH-121-R-2002-493 (Opens in a new window)

Located on FIRST MINE BR in the Loch Raven Reservoir watershed, 8-digit code: 02130805.
This stream was visited in the spring on 4/2/2002 and again in the summer on 7/22/2002.

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 - 4.3 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Good - 4.3 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 1,086 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 0 %
Agricultural Land Use 70 %
Forested Land Use 28 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 18/20 (Optimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 18/20 (Optimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 52 meters 		14/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 23 meters 		10/20 (Marginal)
Shading 79 %
Embeddedness 21 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 21.7 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 7.2 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.19
Conductivity 180 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		548.2 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 9 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blacknose Dace 441
Blue Ridge Sculpin 242
Creek Chub 63
White Sucker 41
Rosyside Dace 21
Longnose Dace 8
Tessellated Darter 5
Bluegill 1
Brown Trout 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Eastern Snapping Turtle
Northern Dusky Salamander
Northern Green Frog
Northern Two-Lined Salamander

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 32
Prosimulium Black Fly 22
Baetidae Small Minnow Mayfly 17
Paraleptophlebia Blue Quill Mayfly 10
Chloroperlidae Green Stonefly 10
Stempellinella Non-Biting Midges 9
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 3
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 3
Optioservus Riffle Beetle 3
Heptageniidae Flathead Mayfly 2
Trissopelopia Non-Biting Midges 2
Clinocera Aquatic Dance Fly 1
Probezzia Biting Midges 1
Neophylax Caddisfly 1
Antocha Crane Fly 1
Eurylophella Mayfly 1
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Conchapelopia Non-Biting Midges 1
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 1
Paraphaenocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Polypedilum 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.