MBSS Site Summary for: UMON-117-R-2000

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site UMON-117-R-2000-01 (Opens in a new window)

Located on GRACEHAM RUN in the Upper Monocacy River watershed, 8-digit code: 02140303.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/27/2000 and again in the summer on 6/28/2000.

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 - 2.3 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 425 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 0.2 %
Agricultural Land Use 83.7 %
Forested Land Use 16.2 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 8/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 65 meters 		9/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 10 meters 		8/20 (Marginal)
Shading 95 %
Embeddedness 65 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 65%. This is relatively high, and may exclude some biota.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 19.2 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 6.3 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.19
Conductivity 200 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		495.3 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 7.1 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 7 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blacknose Dace 81
Creek Chub 27
White Sucker 6
Bluegill 2
Fantail Darter 1
Longnose Dace 1
Redbreast Sunfish 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 49
Naididae Aquatic Worm 21
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 9
Cnephia Black Fly 8
Stenelmis Beetle 5
Stegopterna Black Fly 5
Cricotopus/Orthocladius Midge 5
Orthocladiinae A Non-Biting Midges 4
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 4
Prosimulium Black Fly 4
Rhyacophila Free-Living Caddisfly 3
Corynoneura Non-Biting Midges 2
Thienemanniella Non-Biting Midges 2
Zavrelimyia Non-Biting Midges 2
Pisidiidae Pill Clam 1
Dytiscidae Predaceous Diving Beetle 1
Crangonyx Amphipod 1
Orthocladiinae Midge 1
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 1
Simulium Black Fly 1
Ceratopogonidae Biting Midge 1
Ameletus Combmouthed Minnow Mayfly 1
Perlidae Common Stonefly 1
Hexatoma Crane Fly 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.