MBSS Site Summary for: NCRW-316-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 6/22/2004.

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 - 2.3 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 20,313 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 9/20 (Marginal)
Epifaunal Substrate 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 75 meters 		6/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 75 meters 		14/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 75 %
Embeddedness 40 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 21.4 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 8.2 mg/L
pH (lab) 9.42
Conductivity 274 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		919.7 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.2 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 19 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Central Stoneroller 120
Blacknose Dace 107
Blue Ridge Sculpin 107
Potomac Sculpin 96
Longnose Dace 91
Spotfin Shiner 33
White Sucker 30
Redbreast Sunfish 29
Bluntnose Minnow 14
Greenside Darter 13
Green Sunfish 11
Yellow Bullhead 11
Tessellated Darter 8
Bluegill 6
Fantail Darter 6
Rainbow Darter 2
Creek Chub 1
Largemouth Bass 1
Longear Sunfish 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
No amphibians and reptiles noted.

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Canada Thistle
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Ameletus Combmouthed Minnow Mayfly 23
Hydrobaenus Midge 19
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 9
Diamesa Bloodworm 5
Thienemannimyia group Non-Biting Midges 5
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 3
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 2
Lype Net Tube Caddisfly 2
Tubificidae Aquatic Worm 2
Prosimulium Black Fly 2
Simulium Black Fly 1
Endochironomus 1
Clinocera Aquatic Dance Fly 1
Calopteryx Damselfly 1
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 1
Rheosmittia Non-Biting Midges 1
Sympotthastia Non-Biting Midges 1
Leuctridae Rolledwinged Stonefly 1
Capniidae Small Winter 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.