MBSS Site Summary for: UMON-119-S-2014

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site UMON-119-S-2014-MidpointDownstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site UMON-119-S-2014-MidpointUpstream (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 3/19/2014 and again in the summer on 6/9/2014.

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 - 2.5 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Poor - 2.8 / 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 3.3 %
Agricultural Land Use 0.1 %
Forested Land Use 96.6 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 17/20 (Optimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 30 meters 		11/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 56 meters 		13/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 85 %
Embeddedness 5 %


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 7.3
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		298.7 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.7032 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 68
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Eastern Red Spotted Newt
Northern Slimy Salamander
Northern Two-Lined Salamander

Crayfish:
Cambarus
Cambarus bartonii bartonii

Exotic Plants:
Garlic Mustard
Japanese Barberry
Japanese Stiltgrass
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Prosimulium Black Fly 39
Sympotthastia Non-Biting Midges 26
Stempellinella Non-Biting Midges 8
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 7
Sweltsa Stonefly 5
Taenionema 4
Diplectrona Net-Spinning Caddisfly 4
Parachaetocladius Non-Biting Midge 2
Pteronarcys Giant Stonefly 2
Perlidae Common Stonefly 2
Micropsectra Non-Biting Midges 2
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 2
Oulimnius Riffle Beetle 2
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 1
Taeniopteryx Winter Stonefly 1
Thienemanniella Non-Biting Midges 1
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 1
Leptophlebiidae Pronggilled Mayfly 1
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 1
Hexatoma Crane Fly 1
Tipula Crane Fly 1
Stegopterna Black Fly 1
Diamesa Bloodworm 1
Acroneuria Golden Stoneflies 1
Nemouridae Nemourid Stonefly 1
Chaetocladius 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.