MBSS Site Summary for: RKGR-119-S-2013

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site RKGR-119-S-2013-MidpointPdownstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site RKGR-119-S-2013-MidpointPupstream (Opens in a new window)

Located on PATUXENT RIVER UT in the Rocky Gorge Dam watershed, 8-digit code: 02131107.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/21/2013 and again in the summer on 7/2/2013.

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.
(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 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 61 meters 		16/20 (Optimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 46 meters 		13/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 70 %
Embeddedness 55 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 55%. This is relatively high, and may exclude some biota.


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 7.86
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		1040.9 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 0.7886 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 12 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blue Ridge Sculpin 199
Largemouth Bass 66
Blacknose Dace 29
White Sucker 10
Green Sunfish 8
Bluegill 7
Creek Chub 6
Longnose Dace 6
Fallfish 5
Tessellated Darter 4
Yellow Bullhead 3
Rosyside Dace 2
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Cope's Gray Treefrog
Fowler's Toad
Pickerel Frog

Crayfish:
Cambarus bartonii bartonii
Orconectes virilis

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

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 35
Prosimulium Black Fly 31
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 13
Neophylax Caddisfly 8
Prostoia Spring Stonefly 3
Oulimnius Riffle Beetle 3
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 3
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 2
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 2
Maccaffertium March Brown And Cahill Mayfly 2
Hydrobaenus Midge 1
NEMOURIDAE Nemourid Stonefly 1
Simulium Black Fly 1
Lanthus Clubtail Dragonfly 1
Chimarra Fingernet Caddisfly 1
Acroneuria Golden Stoneflies 1
Rheotanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 1
PERLODIDAE Perlodid Stonefly 1
Helichus Beetle 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.