MBSS Site Summary for: UMON-119-S-2016

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site UMON-119-S-2016-MidpointPDownstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site UMON-119-S-2016-MidpointPUpstream (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 3/9/2016 and again in the summer on 6/22/2016.

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 - 4.3 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 833 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 = 35 meters 		10/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 48 meters 		16/20 (Optimal)
Shading 85 %
Embeddedness 10 %


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 7.61
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		336.3 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.647 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 76
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Eastern Gartersnake
Northern Water Snake

Crayfish:
Cambarus
Cambarus bartonii bartonii

Exotic Plants:
Garlic Mustard
Japanese Barberry
Japanese Spiraea
Japanese Stiltgrass
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Prosimulium Black Fly 31
Epeorus Mayfly 18
Diplectrona Net-Spinning Caddisfly 12
Baetis Blue-Winged Olive Mayfly 9
Dolophilodes Medium Evening Sedge Caddisfly 4
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 4
Pteronarcys Giant Stonefly 3
Acroneuria Golden Stoneflies 2
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 2
Parachaetocladius Non-Biting Midge 2
Rhyacophila Free-Living Caddisfly 2
Sweltsa Stonefly 2
Isoperla Stripetail Stonefly 2
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 2
Micropsectra Non-Biting Midges 2
Leptophlebiidae Pronggilled Mayfly 2
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 2
Oulimnius Riffle Beetle 1
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 1
Orthocladiinae Midge 1
Taeniopteryx Winter Stonefly 1
Leuctra  Rolled-Winged Stonefly 1
Leucrocuta Mayfly 1
Brillia Non-Biting Midges 1
Chaetocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Diplocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Glossosoma Little Black Caddisfly 1
Maccaffertium March Brown And Cahill Mayfly 1
Tipula Crane Fly 1
Philopotamidae Fingernet Caddisfly 1
Simuliidae Black 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.