MBSS Site Summary for: ROCK-210-R-2003

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site ROCK-210-R-2003-749 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site ROCK-210-R-2003-750 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site ROCK-210-R-2003-751 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site ROCK-210-R-2003-752 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site ROCK-210-R-2003-886 (Opens in a new window)

Located on NORTH BR 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 7/15/2003.

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 Good - 4.0 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Fair - 3.0 / 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 5,608 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 34 %
Agricultural Land Use 39 %
Forested Land Use 27 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 18/20 (Optimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 17/20 (Optimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 16/20 (Optimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 48 meters 		15/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 43 meters 		16/20 (Optimal)
Shading 88 %
Embeddedness 22 %
Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Optimal' at this location.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 19.6 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 7.8 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.53
Conductivity 173 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		613.9 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 2.3 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
Potomac Sculpin 120
Blacknose Dace 51
White Sucker 23
Longnose Dace 22
Tessellated Darter 21
Cutlip Minnow 15
Bluegill 6
Creek Chub 5
Largemouth Bass 3
Bluntnose Minnow 2
Rosyside Dace 2
Fallfish 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Eastern American Toad
Eastern Box Turtle
Northern Green Frog
Northern Two-Lined Salamander
Wood Frog

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

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

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Stenelmis Beetle 17
Hemerodromia Tiny Fly 16
Prosimulium Black Fly 10
Ceratopogonidae Biting Midge 9
Orthocladiinae Midge 9
Optioservus Riffle Beetle 8
Hydrobaenus Midge 8
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 7
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 4
Pisidium Freshwater Pea (Pill) Clam 4
Tipula Crane Fly 4
Diamesa Bloodworm 3
Simulium Black Fly 2
Stegopterna Black Fly 2
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 2
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 2
Diplocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 1
Rheocricotopus Non-Biting Midges 1
Oulimnius Riffle Beetle 1
Neophylax Caddisfly 1
Gomphidae Clubtail Dragonfly 1
Simuliidae Black Fly 1
Empididae Dance Fly 1
Chimarra Fingernet Caddisfly 1
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 1
Prostoma Freshwater Nemertean (Ribbon Worm) 1
Gordiidae Horsehair Worm 1
Limonia 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.