MBSS Site Summary for: MO-P-437-206-97


Located on ROCK CR in the Rock Creek watershed, 8-digit code: 02140206.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/7/1997 and again in the summer on 6/10/1997.

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 - 3.0 / 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 4,749 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 2.1 %
Agricultural Land Use 71.4 %
Forested Land Use 23.2 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 16/20 (Optimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 16/20 (Optimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = meters 		16/20 (Optimal)
Riffle Quality 16/20 (Optimal)
Shading 75 %
Embeddedness 40 %
Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Optimal' at this location.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 17.5 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 9.7 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.17
Conductivity 105 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		414 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.7 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
Potomac Sculpin 147
Blacknose Dace 55
Longnose Dace 45
Creek Chub 9
Blue Ridge Sculpin 4
Common Shiner 4
Redbreast Sunfish 4
Cutlip Minnow 3
Rosyside Dace 3
White Sucker 3
Tessellated Darter 2
Bluegill 1
Fallfish 1
Rainbow Trout 1
Yellow Bullhead 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Northern Green Frog
Northern Two-Lined Salamander

Crayfish:
Cambarus bartonii bartonii
Orconectes virilis

Exotic Plants:
No exotic plants noted.
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Cricotopus/Orthocladius Midge 40
Prosimulium Black Fly 14
Antocha Crane Fly 7
Oulimnius Riffle Beetle 6
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 4
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 4
Simulium Black Fly 2
Isonychia Slate Drake Mayfly 2
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 2
Thienemanniella Non-Biting Midges 2
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 2
Optioservus Riffle Beetle 1
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Conchapelopia Non-Biting Midges 1
Corynoneura Non-Biting Midges 1
Baetis Blue-Winged Olive Mayfly 1
Neophylax Caddisfly 1
Stylogomphus Clubtail Dragonfly 1
Girardia Freshwater Flatworm 1
Dicranota Hairy-Eyed Cranefly 1
Strophopteryx Early Brown Stonefly 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.