MBSS Site Summary for: UMON-119-S-2009

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site UMON-119-S-2009-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site UMON-119-S-2009-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on Buzzard Branch in the Upper Monocacy River watershed, 8-digit code: 02140303.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/16/2009 and again in the summer on 6/30/2009.

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 Fair - 3.8 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 1,049 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 0.1 %
Forested Land Use 96.5 %


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 10/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 42 meters 		10/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 54 meters 		14/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 80 %
Embeddedness 35 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 15.9 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 8.9 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.3
Conductivity 70 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		368.9 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.6198 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 1 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blacknose Dace 41
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Northern Slimy Salamander
Northern Two-Lined Salamander

Crayfish:
Cambarus bartonii bartonii

Exotic Plants:
Garlic Mustard
Japanese Stiltgrass
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Prosimulium Black Fly 37
Epeorus Mayfly 12
Oulimnius Riffle Beetle 9
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 7
Paraleptophlebia Blue Quill Mayfly 6
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 5
Ephemerellidae Spiny Crawler Mayfly 4
Cinygmula Dark Red Quill Mayfly 4
Stempellinella Non-Biting Midges 4
Baetidae Small Minnow Mayfly 3
Sweltsa Stonefly 3
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 2
Heptageniidae Flathead Mayfly 2
Pteronarcys Giant Stonefly 2
Stenacron Mayfly 2
Perlidae Common Stonefly 2
Hexatoma Crane Fly 1
Diamesa Bloodworm 1
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Paraphaenocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 1
Sympotthastia Non-Biting Midges 1
Leptophlebiidae Pronggilled Mayfly 1
Isoperla Stripetail Stonefly 1
Taenionema 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.