MBSS Site Summary for: MO-P-251-115-97


Located on LITTLE MONOCACY R UT1 in the Potomac River MO Cnty watershed, 8-digit code: 02140202.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/19/1997 and again in the summer on 7/2/1997.

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 Fair - 3.3 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Fair - 3.8 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 497 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 0.1 %
Agricultural Land Use 83.6 %
Forested Land Use 15.3 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 7/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = meters 		5/20 (Poor)
Riffle Quality 7/20 (Marginal)
Shading 95 %
Embeddedness 35 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 18 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 7.9 mg/L
pH (lab) 6.93
Conductivity 70 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		385.7 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 3.1 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 6 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blacknose Dace 227
Creek Chub 94
Blue Ridge Sculpin 30
Fantail Darter 16
Rosyside Dace 13
Largemouth Bass 4
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Northern Dusky Salamander
Northern Red Salamander
Northern Two-Lined Salamander

Crayfish:
Orconectes virilis

Exotic Plants:
No exotic plants noted.
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Paraleptophlebia Blue Quill Mayfly 20
Rheotanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 7
Leuctridae Rolledwinged Stonefly 7
Trissopelopia Non-Biting Midges 6
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 5
Cricotopus/Orthocladius Midge 5
Cricotopus Non-Biting Midges 4
Simulium Black Fly 3
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 3
Conchapelopia Non-Biting Midges 3
Tubificidae Aquatic Worm 3
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 3
Zavrelimyia Non-Biting Midges 3
Stempellinella Non-Biting Midges 3
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 3
Perlodidae Perlodid Stonefly 2
Diplectrona Net-Spinning Caddisfly 2
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Corynoneura Non-Biting Midges 1
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 1
Anchytarsus Beetle 1
Menetus Air Breathing Freshwater Snail 1
Naididae Aquatic Worm 1
Neophylax Caddisfly 1
Chimarra Fingernet Caddisfly 1
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 1
Girardia Freshwater Flatworm 1
Pisidiidae Pill Clam 1
Thienemanniella Non-Biting Midges 1
Lumbriculidae Worm 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.