MBSS Site Summary for: LOCH-305-A-2011

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site LOCH-305-A-2011-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site LOCH-305-A-2011-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on BLACK ROCK RUN in the Loch Raven Reservoir watershed, 8-digit code: 02130805.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/8/2011 and again in the summer on 6/22/2011.

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 Good - 4.0 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Good - 4.0 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 8,983 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 9 %
Agricultural Land Use 46.6 %
Forested Land Use 41.8 %


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 16/20 (Optimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 10/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 24 meters 		9/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 63 meters 		17/20 (Optimal)
Shading 55 %
Embeddedness 15 %


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 7.715
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		736.8 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.5282 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 11 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blue Ridge Sculpin 473
Longnose Dace 103
Blacknose Dace 79
Bluegill 60
Creek Chub 49
Brown Trout 25
Rosyside Dace 21
Tessellated Darter 20
River Chub 14
Cutlip Minnow 6
White Sucker 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Northern Green Frog

Crayfish:
Orconectes virilis

Exotic Plants:
Daylily
Garlic Mustard
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Multiflora Rose
Norway Maple
Oriental Bittersweet
Privet
Shrub Honeysuckle
Tree Of Heaven
Vinca Vine
Wineberry
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Prosimulium Black Fly 25
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 13
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 12
NEMOURIDAE Nemourid Stonefly 11
Chimarra Fingernet Caddisfly 10
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 7
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 5
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 4
Clinocera Aquatic Dance Fly 4
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 4
Strophopteryx Early Brown Stonefly 3
Orthocladiinae Midge 3
Prostoia Spring Stonefly 2
Isonychia Slate Drake Mayfly 1
CAPNIIDAE Small Winter Stonefly 1
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 1
Stilocladius Midge 1
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 1
TANYTARSINI Non-Biting Midges 1
Thienemanniella Non-Biting Midges 1
Maccaffertium March Brown And Cahill Mayfly 1
Dolophilodes Medium Evening Sedge Caddisfly 1
Antocha Crane Fly 1
Physa Air-Breathing Freshwater Snail 1
Chelifera Aquatic Dance 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.