MBSS Site Summary for: MONY-301-N-2004


Located on BUSH CR in the Lower Monocacy River watershed, 8-digit code: 02140302.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/2/2004 and again in the summer on 8/25/2004.

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 Poor - 2.8 / 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 20,369 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 64 %
Forested Land Use 26 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 17/20 (Optimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 16/20 (Optimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 58 meters 		14/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 75 meters 		18/20 (Optimal)
Shading 75 %
Embeddedness 30 %
Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Optimal' at this location.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 20.9 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 9.1 mg/L
pH (lab) 9.46
Conductivity 306 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		913.1 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.1 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 25 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Longnose Dace 208
Blue Ridge Sculpin 121
Blacknose Dace 95
Central Stoneroller 73
Greenside Darter 34
Potomac Sculpin 19
Redbreast Sunfish 18
Spotfin Shiner 16
Tessellated Darter 16
Bluntnose Minnow 14
White Sucker 10
Fantail Darter 8
Fallfish 6
Northern Hogsucker 4
Rainbow Darter 4
Smallmouth Bass 3
Yellow Bullhead 3
Bluegill 2
Creek Chub 2
Green Sunfish 2
American Eel 1
Channel Catfish 1
Longear Sunfish 1
Rosyface Shiner 1
Swallowtail Shiner 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Northern Two-Lined Salamander

Crayfish:
Orconectes

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Stiltgrass
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Hydrobaenus Midge 16
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 16
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 13
Thienemannimyia group Non-Biting Midges 8
Allocapnia Small Winter Stonefly 6
Ameletus Combmouthed Minnow Mayfly 4
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 3
Brillia Non-Biting Midges 3
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 3
Rheosmittia Non-Biting Midges 3
Sympotthastia Non-Biting Midges 2
Isonychia Slate Drake Mayfly 2
Micropsectra Non-Biting Midges 2
Parakiefferiella European Non-Biting Midge 2
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 2
Prosimulium Black Fly 2
Simulium Black Fly 1
Diamesa Bloodworm 1
Gomphidae Clubtail Dragonfly 1
Antocha Crane Fly 1
Enchytraeidae Aquatic Worm 1
Tubificidae Aquatic Worm 1
Cardiocladius Non-Biting Midge 1
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 1
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 1
Parametriocnemus 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.