MBSS Site Summary for: RKGR-119-S-2009

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site RKGR-119-S-2009-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site RKGR-119-S-2009-2 (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 3/10/2009 and again in the summer on 8/17/2009.

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 - 4.0 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Good - 4.3 / 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 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 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 44 meters 		13/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 28 meters 		12/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 90 %
Embeddedness 20 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 19.1 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 8.3 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.74
Conductivity 236 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		1310.1 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.1219 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 10 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blue Ridge Sculpin 140
Blacknose Dace 53
Rosyside Dace 11
Green Sunfish 8
Creek Chub 7
Largemouth Bass 5
Bluegill 4
Longnose Dace 2
Tessellated Darter 2
Yellow Bullhead 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Eastern American Toad
Northern Two-Lined Salamander
Southern Leopard Frog
Wood Frog

Crayfish:
Cambarus bartonii bartonii
Orconectes virilis

Exotic Plants:
Autumn Olive
Bamboo
English Ivy
Garlic Mustard
Japanese Barberry
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Mile-A-Minute
Multiflora Rose
Oriental Bittersweet
Privet
Vinca Vine
Wineberry
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Ephemerellidae Spiny Crawler Mayfly 45
Prosimulium Black Fly 35
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 5
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 3
Neophylax Caddisfly 3
Lype Net Tube Caddisfly 2
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 2
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 2
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 2
Stegopterna Black Fly 2
Thienemannimyia Non-Biting Midges 1
Zavrelimyia Non-Biting Midges 1
Leuctridae Rolledwinged Stonefly 1
Diplectrona Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Dicrotendipes Non-Biting Midges 1
Empididae Dance Fly 1
Heptageniidae Flathead Mayfly 1
Acroneuria Golden Stoneflies 1
Glossosoma Little Black Caddisfly 1
Naididae Aquatic 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.