MBSS Site Summary for: ROCK-203-B-2007

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site ROCK-203-B-2007-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site ROCK-203-B-2007-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on Rock Creek in the Rock Creek watershed, 8-digit code: 02140206.
This stream was visited in the spring on 4/10/2007 and again in the summer on 6/27/2007.

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 Poor - 2.7 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Poor - 1.3 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 3,267 acres A highly channelized urban stream with concrete banks. An example of a highly channelized urban stream.
Urban Land Use 53.9 %
Agricultural Land Use 23.9 %
Forested Land Use 18.6 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 10/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 55 meters 		10/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 31 meters 		11/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 85 %
Embeddedness 50 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 22.8 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 6.2 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.79
Conductivity 230 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		634.6 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.8414 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 15 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blacknose Dace 89
Swallowtail Shiner 68
Longnose Dace 49
Largemouth Bass 38
Tessellated Darter 20
Satinfin Shiner 19
American Eel 15
Margined Madtom 11
Creek Chub 9
Pumpkinseed 7
Cutlip Minnow 4
Redbreast Sunfish 4
White Sucker 4
Fallfish 2
Yellow Bullhead 2
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Northern Two-Lined Salamander

Crayfish:
Cambarus diogenes
Orconectes virilis

Exotic Plants:
Garlic Mustard
Japanese Barberry
Japanese Stiltgrass
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 48
Diamesa Bloodworm 13
Thienemannimyia group Non-Biting Midges 9
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 5
Stenelmis Beetle 5
Argia Narrow-Winged Damselfly 4
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 4
Tubificidae Aquatic Worm 2
Physa Air-Breathing Freshwater Snail 2
Crangonyx Amphipod 2
Macronychus Riffle Beetle 2
Lumbriculidae Worm 2
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 2
Pseudorthocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Dubiraphia Riffle Beetle 1
Synurella Amphipod 1
Lepidoptera Aquatic Moth 1
Naididae Aquatic Worm 1
Corbicula Basket Clam 1
Menetus Air Breathing Freshwater Snail 1
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Dicrotendipes Non-Biting Midges 1
Peltodytes Crawling Water Beetle 1
Prostoma Freshwater Nemertean (Ribbon Worm) 1
Coenagrionidae Narrowwinged Damselfly 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.