MBSS Site Summary for: RKGR-119-S-2008

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site RKGR-119-S-2008-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site RKGR-119-S-2008-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on UT PATUXENT RIVER in the Rocky Gorge Dam watershed, 8-digit code: 02131107.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/25/2008 and again in the summer on 7/22/2008.

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

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 673 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 4.5 %
Agricultural Land Use 58.3 %
Forested Land Use 34.8 %


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 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 41 meters
13/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 44 meters
14/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 90 %
Embeddedness 20 %


Stream Water Quality:

Water temperature 22.2 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 7.1 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.69
Conductivity 223 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity)
1088.3 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 0.913 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 11 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blacknose Dace 99
Blue Ridge Sculpin 92
Largemouth Bass 17
Rosyside Dace 11
Creek Chub 9
Longnose Dace 9
Tessellated Darter 4
White Sucker 3
Bluegill 2
Green Sunfish 2
Fallfish 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:

Eastern Box Turtle
Gray Treefrog
Northern Red Salamander
Northern Two-Lined Salamander
Pickerel Frog
Wood Frog

Crayfish:

Cambarus bartonii bartonii
Orconectes virilis

Exotic Plants:

Autumn Olive
Garlic Mustard
Japanese Barberry
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Mile-A-Minute
Multiflora Rose
Oriental Bittersweet
Vinca Vine
Wineberry
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:

Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 49
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 18
Prosimulium Black Fly 14
Perlodidae Perlodid Stonefly 8
Thienemanniella Non-Biting Midges 4
Perlidae Common Stonefly 4
Hexatoma Crane Fly 2
Simulium Black Fly 2
Ameletus Combmouthed Minnow Mayfly 2
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 2
Thienemannimyia Group Non-Biting Midges 2
Elmidae Riffle Beetle 2
Oulimnius Riffle Beetle 2
Leuctridae Rolledwinged Stonefly 1
Glossosomatidae Saddlecase Maker Caddisfly 1
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 1
Prostoia Spring Stonefly 1
Paraphaenocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Rheotanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 1
Clinocera Aquatic Dance Fly 1
Neophylax Caddisfly 1
Gomphidae Clubtail Dragonfly 1
Simuliidae Black Fly 1
Chimarra Fingernet Caddisfly 1
Heptageniidae Flathead Mayfly 1
Acroneuria Golden Stoneflies 1
Maccaffertium March Brown And Cahill Mayfly 1
Eurylophella Mayfly 1
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 1
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 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.