MBSS Site Summary for: LOCH-209-R-2016

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site LOCH-209-R-2016_midpoint looking downstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site LOCH-209-R-2016_midpoint looking upstream (Opens in a new window)

Located on Greene Branch in the Loch Raven Reservoir watershed, 8-digit code: 02130805.
This stream was visited in the spring on 4/11/2016 and again in the summer on 6/8/2016.

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 Poor - 1.7 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Good - 4.0 / 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 2,223 acres A highly channelized urban stream with concrete banks. An example of a highly channelized urban stream.
Urban Land Use 25 %
Agricultural Land Use 22.2 %
Forested Land Use 50.9 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 18 meters 		11/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 75 meters 		13/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 70 %
Embeddedness 40 %


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 7.68
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		624.1 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 0.8046 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
Blacknose Dace 60
Bluegill 36
Brown Trout 17
Longnose Dace 15
Green Sunfish 4
Creek Chub 3
White Sucker 3
Largemouth Bass 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Northern Two-Lined Salamander

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Daylily
Garlic Mustard
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Knotweed
Japanese Stiltgrass
Mile-A-Minute
Multiflora Rose
Oriental Bittersweet
Shrub Honeysuckle
Wineberry
Wintercreeper
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 22
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 19
Acentrella Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 12
Hydrobaenus Midge 7
Diamesa Bloodworm 6
Antocha Crane Fly 6
Clinocera Aquatic Dance Fly 4
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 4
Pycnopsyche Great Autumn Brown Sedge Caddisfly 3
Orthocladiinae Midge 3
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 3
Diplectrona Net-Spinning Caddisfly 2
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 2
Brillia Non-Biting Midges 2
Optioservus Riffle Beetle 2
Leuctridae Rolledwinged Stonefly 2
Isoperla Stripetail Stonefly 2
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 2
Lumbriculidae Worm 1
Rheotanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 1
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 1
Thienemannimyia Group Non-Biting Midges 1
Trissopelopia Non-Biting Midges 1
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 1
Phaenopsectra Non-Biting Midges 1
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Teloganopsis Mayfly 1
Chimarra Fingernet Caddisfly 1
Tubificidae Aquatic Worm 1
Stenelmis Beetle 1
Ameletus Combmouthed Minnow Mayfly 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.