MBSS Site Summary for: UMON-130-R-2016

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site UMON-130-R-2016-MidpointDownstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site UMON-130-R-2016-MidpointUpstream (Opens in a new window)

Located on UT to Monocacy River 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 6/28/2016.

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 Poor - 1.0 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Poor - 1.8 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 833 acres Cows standing in a stream at a site with high agricultural land use. Cows survey the sampling procedure at this extreme example of a highly agriculturalized site.
Urban Land Use 4.5 %
Agricultural Land Use 94.4 %
Forested Land Use 0.6 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 8/20 (Marginal)
Epifaunal Substrate 8/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 4/20 (Poor)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 63 meters 		6/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 12 meters 		4/20 (Poor)
Shading 55 %
Embeddedness 25 %


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 7.66
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		1033.6 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 3.4001 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
Creek Chub 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Gray Treefrog
Northern Green Frog
Northern Spring Peeper

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Garlic Mustard
Japanese Honeysuckle
Mile-A-Minute
Multiflora Rose
Shrub Honeysuckle
Tree Of Heaven
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Prosimulium Black Fly 54
Stegopterna Black Fly 18
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 14
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 10
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 9
Orthocladiinae Midge 7
Stenelmis Beetle 6
Clioperla Green-Winged Stonefly 5
Capniidae Small Winter Stonefly 4
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 3
Girardia Freshwater Flatworm 3
Neophylax Caddisfly 2
Thienemannimyia Group Non-Biting Midges 2
Erpobdellidae Leech 1
Corynoneura Non-Biting Midges 1
Perlidae Common Stonefly 1
Naididae Aquatic Worm 1
Bezzia Biting Midge 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.