MBSS Site Summary for: ROCK-203-R-2003

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site ROCK-203-R-2003-745 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site ROCK-203-R-2003-746 (Opens in a new window)

Located on ROCK CR in the Rock Creek watershed, 8-digit code: 02140206.
This stream was visited in the spring on 4/2/2003 and again in the summer on 7/16/2003.

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 - 3.7 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Poor - 2.3 / 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 2,246 acres A highly channelized urban stream with concrete banks. An example of a highly channelized urban stream.
Urban Land Use 48 %
Agricultural Land Use 26 %
Forested Land Use 22 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 16/20 (Optimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 50 meters 		16/20 (Optimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 28 meters 		13/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 84 %
Embeddedness 36 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 24.2 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 6.8 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.24
Conductivity 193 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		936.1 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 3.9 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 19 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Swallowtail Shiner 54
Pumpkinseed 26
Longnose Dace 19
Bluegill 18
Blacknose Dace 17
White Sucker 16
Yellow Bullhead 15
Redbreast Sunfish 14
Tessellated Darter 10
Fallfish 6
Margined Madtom 6
American Eel 5
Northern Hogsucker 4
Largemouth Bass 3
Satinfin Shiner 3
Black Crappie 1
Brown Bullhead 1
Green Sunfish 1
Spottail Shiner 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Common Five-Lined Skink
Eastern American Toad
Eastern Box Turtle
Northern Watersnake
Pickerel Frog

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Knotweed
Japanese Stiltgrass
Mile-A-Minute
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Stenelmis Beetle 61
Naididae Aquatic Worm 24
Prostoma Freshwater Nemertean (Ribbon Worm) 7
Lumbriculidae Worm 7
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 5
Rheocricotopus Non-Biting Midges 4
Rheosmittia Non-Biting Midges 3
Orthocladiinae Midge 3
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 3
Tubificidae Aquatic Worm 3
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 2
Optioservus Riffle Beetle 2
Psychoda 1
Corbicula Basket Clam 1
Ceratopogonidae Biting Midge 1
Corydalus Dobsonfly 1
Cricotopus 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.