MBSS Site Summary for: RKGR-119-S-2006


Located on Patuxent River UT5 in the Rocky Gorge Dam watershed, 8-digit code: 02131107.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/29/2006 and again in the summer on 7/26/2006.

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 Good - 4.0 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 670 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 4.6 %
Agricultural Land Use 58.1 %
Forested Land Use 35 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 16/20 (Optimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 32 meters 		14/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 50 meters 		16/20 (Optimal)
Shading 95 %
Embeddedness 35 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 19.5 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 8.9 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.87
Conductivity 101 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		998.5 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.0352 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 8 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blue Ridge Sculpin 154
Blacknose Dace 16
Rosyside Dace 8
Longnose Dace 7
Fallfish 3
Bluegill 2
Tessellated Darter 2
White Sucker 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Northern Two-Lined Salamander

Crayfish:
Cambarus bartonii bartonii
Orconectes virilis

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Barberry
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 46
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 17
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 11
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 8
Prosimulium Black Fly 5
Hexatoma Crane Fly 4
Simulium Black Fly 3
Thienemanniella Non-Biting Midges 3
Oulimnius Riffle Beetle 3
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 2
Ancyronyx Spider Riffle Beetle 2
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 2
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 2
Acroneuria Golden Stoneflies 2
Dicranota Hairy-Eyed Cranefly 2
Nigronia Megaloptera (Dark Fishfly) 1
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Diplectrona Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Tanypodinae Non-Biting Midges 1
Chelifera Aquatic Dance Fly 1
Rhyacophila Free-Living Caddisfly 1
Heptageniidae Flathead Mayfly 1
Diamesa Bloodworm 1
Baetis Blue-Winged Olive Mayfly 1
Neophylax Caddisfly 1
Isoperla Stripetail Stonefly 1
Perlodidae Perlodid Stonefly 1
Glossosomatidae Saddlecase Maker Caddisfly 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.