MBSS Site Summary for: LOCH-121-R-2016

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site LOCH-121-R-2016_midpoint looking downstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site LOCH-121-R-2016_midpoint looking upstream (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 3/22/2016 and again in the summer on 6/21/2016.

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 Poor - 1.7 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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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 4.3 %
Agricultural Land Use 62.7 %
Forested Land Use 28.5 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 10/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 13 meters 		8/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 65 meters 		17/20 (Optimal)
Shading 40 %
Embeddedness 40 %


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 7.97
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		636.1 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.0043 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 8 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blue Ridge Sculpin 237
Blacknose Dace 186
Longnose Dace 40
Creek Chub 34
Bluegill 1
Brown Trout 1
Rosyside Dace 1
Tessellated Darter 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Northern Green Frog

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Garlic Mustard
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Mile-A-Minute
Multiflora Rose
Oriental Bittersweet
Privet
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 58
Micropsectra Non-Biting Midges 26
Hydrobaenus Midge 14
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 5
Trissopelopia Non-Biting Midges 4
Thienemanniella Non-Biting Midges 3
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 2
Orthocladiinae Midge 2
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 2
Chironomini Non-Biting Midge 2
Corynoneura Non-Biting Midges 2
Ceratopogonidae Biting Midge 2
Diamesa Bloodworm 1
Baetis Blue-Winged Olive Mayfly 1
Girardia Freshwater Flatworm 1
Glossosoma Little Black Caddisfly 1
Cryptochironomus Non-Biting Midges 1
Dicrotendipes Non-Biting Midges 1
Rheocricotopus Non-Biting Midges 1
Tanypodinae Non-Biting Midges 1
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 1
Naididae Aquatic Worm 1
Tubificidae Aquatic Worm 1
Hemerodromia Tiny Fly 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.