MBSS Site Summary for: UMON-119-S-2015


Located on BUZZARD BRANCH in the Upper Monocacy River watershed, 8-digit code: 02140303.
This stream was visited in the spring on 4/6/2015 and again in the summer on 7/1/2015.

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 Poor - 1.5 / 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 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 18/20 (Optimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 10/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 38 meters 		10/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 49 meters 		17/20 (Optimal)
Shading 90 %
Embeddedness 10 %


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 7.48
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		373.3 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.7572 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 81
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

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

Crayfish:
Cambarus bartonii bartonii

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Spiraea
Japanese Stiltgrass
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 77
Prosimulium Black Fly 13
Sympotthastia Non-Biting Midges 7
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 5
Diplectrona Net-Spinning Caddisfly 4
Tipula Crane Fly 3
Stilocladius Midge 2
Diamesinae Non-Biting Midges 2
Micropsectra Non-Biting Midges 1
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 1
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 1
Oulimnius Riffle Beetle 1
Sweltsa Stonefly 1
Lumbriculidae Worm 1
Ceratopogonidae Biting Midge 1
Chironomini Non-Biting Midge 1
Brillia Non-Biting Midges 1
Dolophilodes Medium Evening Sedge Caddisfly 1
Diamesa Bloodworm 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.