MBSS Site Summary for: LOCH-305-R-2002

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site LOCH-305-R-2002-502 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site LOCH-305-R-2002-503 (Opens in a new window)

Located on BLACKROCK RUN in the Loch Raven Reservoir watershed, 8-digit code: 02130805.
This stream was visited in the spring on 4/3/2002 and again in the summer on 7/29/2002.

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 - 4.7 / 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 8,874 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 62 %
Forested Land Use 36 %


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 17/20 (Optimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 45 meters 		15/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 35 meters 		13/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 80 %
Embeddedness 35 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 21.9 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 8 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.84
Conductivity 220 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		843.9 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.8 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 15 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blue Ridge Sculpin 434
White Sucker 114
Longnose Dace 90
Tessellated Darter 76
Blacknose Dace 66
Creek Chub 62
Common Shiner 52
Rosyside Dace 52
Brown Trout 51
Cutlip Minnow 31
River Chub 30
Northern Hogsucker 22
Largemouth Bass 8
Bluegill 2
Margined Madtom 2
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Northern Watersnake

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 96
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 12
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 4
Naididae Aquatic Worm 3
Girardia Freshwater Flatworm 2
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 2
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 2
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 2
Tanypodinae Non-Biting Midges 1
Tanytarsini Non-Biting Midges 1
Glossosomatidae Saddlecase Maker Caddisfly 1
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 1
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Dolophilodes Medium Evening Sedge Caddisfly 1
Nigronia Megaloptera (Dark Fishfly) 1
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Tipulidae Cranefly 1
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 1
Conchapelopia Non-Biting Midges 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.