MBSS Site Summary for: UMON-196-X-2017

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site UMON-196-X-2017-MidpointDownstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site UMON-196-X-2017-MidpointUpstream (Opens in a new window)

Located on UT Little Tuscarora Creek in the Upper Monocacy River watershed, 8-digit code: 02140303.
This stream was visited in the spring on 4/27/2017 and again in the summer on 9/19/2017.

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 - 1.7 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Poor - 2.5 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 378 acres A highly channelized urban stream with concrete banks. An example of a highly channelized urban stream.
Urban Land Use 89 %
Agricultural Land Use 10.9 %
Forested Land Use 0.1 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 4/20 (Poor)
Epifaunal Substrate 3/20 (Poor)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 3/20 (Poor)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 32 meters 		6/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 0 meters 		0/20 (Poor)
Shading 90 %
Embeddedness 90 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 90%. This is relatively high, and may exclude some biota.
Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Poor' at this location.


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 7.98
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		3664 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 2.8468 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
Green Sunfish 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Gray Treefrog

Crayfish:
Orconectes virilis

Exotic Plants:
Autumn Olive
Bush Honeysuckle
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Tree Of Heaven
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
RHEOCRICOTOPUS Non-Biting Midges 43
MICROPSECTRA Non-Biting Midges 14
PARAMETRIOCNEMUS Non-Biting Midges 11
HYDROBAENUS Midge 8
PHYSA Air-Breathing Freshwater Snail 8
CHAETOCLADIUS Non-Biting Midges 5
DICROTENDIPES Non-Biting Midges 5
TVETENIA Non-Biting Midges 4
PARAMERINA Non-Biting Midge 3
TUBIFICIDAE Aquatic Worm 3
SIMULIUM Black Fly 3
NAIDIDAE Aquatic Worm 2
NEOPOROUS Predaceous Diving Beetle 2
THIENEMANNIELLA Non-Biting Midges 2
LESTES 1
AGABUS Predatory Aquatic Beetle 1
LUMBRICULIDAE Worm 1
CERATOPOGONIDAE Biting Midge 1
DIAMESA Bloodworm 1
TIPULIDAE Cranefly 1
SCIOMYZIDAE Marsh Fly 1
EUKIEFFERIELLA Non-Biting Midges 1
POLYPEDILUM Non-Biting Midges 1
MICROTENDIPES 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.