MBSS Site Summary for: MO-P-325-208-97


Located on NORTH BR ROCK CR in the Rock Creek watershed, 8-digit code: 02140206.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/10/1997 and again in the summer on 6/17/1997.

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 Good - 4.3 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Fair - 3.3 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 1,755 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 1.7 %
Agricultural Land Use 53.8 %
Forested Land Use 44.1 %


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 = meters
14/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality 10/20 (Marginal)
Shading 95 %
Embeddedness 25 %


Stream Water Quality:

Water temperature 17.8 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 9.1 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.09
Conductivity 91 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity)
377.5 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 3.3 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 10 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Potomac Sculpin 156
Rosyside Dace 50
Blacknose Dace 39
Creek Chub 30
Longnose Dace 20
White Sucker 16
Common Shiner 12
Cutlip Minnow 3
Tessellated Darter 2
Central Stoneroller 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:

Eastern American Toad
Northern Two-Lined Salamander
Pickerel Frog

Crayfish:

Cambarus bartonii bartonii

Exotic Plants:

No exotic plants noted.
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:

Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Prosimulium Black Fly 40
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 10
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 8
Rheotanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 5
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 4
Orthocladiinae A Non-Biting Midges 3
Cricotopus/Orthocladius Midge 3
Naididae Aquatic Worm 3
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 3
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 2
Stegopterna Black Fly 2
Conchapelopia Non-Biting Midges 2
Oulimnius Riffle Beetle 2
Centroptilum Small Minnow Mayfly 2
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 1
Sympotthastia Non-Biting Midges 1
Thienemanniella Non-Biting Midges 1
Perlodidae Perlodid Stonefly 1
Optioservus Riffle Beetle 1
Heleniella European Non-Biting Midge 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.