MBSS Site Summary for: UMON-119-S-2002

Site Photos

Located on BUZZARD BR in the Upper Monocacy River watershed, 8-digit code: 02140303.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/14/2002 and again in the summer on 7/9/2002.

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 - 3.5 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Good - 5.0 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 1,122 acres A highly channelized urban stream with concrete banks. An example of a highly channelized urban stream.
Urban Land Use 3.4 %
Agricultural Land Use 0.3 %
Forested Land Use 96.4 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 17/20 (Optimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 17/20 (Optimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 9/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 32 meters 		9/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 50 meters 		14/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 86 %
Embeddedness 20 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 17.7 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 8.9 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.46
Conductivity 80 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		330.3 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 2.7 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 2 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blacknose Dace 33
Brown Trout 10
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Northern Two-Lined Salamander

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Stiltgrass
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Oulimnius Riffle Beetle 34
Micropsectra Non-Biting Midges 13
Epeorus Mayfly 12
Paraleptophlebia Blue Quill Mayfly 8
Ephemerellidae Spiny Crawler Mayfly 7
Diplectrona Net-Spinning Caddisfly 5
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 4
Baetidae Small Minnow Mayfly 4
Heptageniidae Flathead Mayfly 3
Pteronarcys Giant Stonefly 3
Dicranota Hairy-Eyed Cranefly 2
Neophylax Caddisfly 2
Hexatoma Crane Fly 2
Chelifera Aquatic Dance Fly 2
Prosimulium Black Fly 2
Dolophilodes Medium Evening Sedge Caddisfly 2
Nigronia Megaloptera (Dark Fishfly) 2
Psephenus Water Penny 2
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 2
Leuctridae Rolledwinged Stonefly 2
Perlodidae Perlodid Stonefly 2
Stempellina 1
Sweltsa Stonefly 1
Isoperla Stripetail Stonefly 1
Leucrocuta Mayfly 1
Parachaetocladius Non-Biting Midge 1
Conchapelopia Non-Biting Midges 1
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 1
Sympotthastia Non-Biting Midges 1
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 1
Rhyacophila Free-Living Caddisfly 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.