MBSS Site Summary for: UMON-201-X-2017

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site UMON-201-X-2017-MidpointDownstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site UMON-201-X-2017-MidpointUpstream (Opens in a new window)

Located on Little Hunting Creek in the Upper Monocacy River watershed, 8-digit code: 02140303.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/20/2017 and again in the summer on 6/22/2017.

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 Good - 4.3 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Fair - 3.3 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 4,583 acres A highly channelized urban stream with concrete banks. An example of a highly channelized urban stream.
Urban Land Use 3.2 %
Agricultural Land Use 0.7 %
Forested Land Use 96 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 18/20 (Optimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 18/20 (Optimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 17/20 (Optimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 40 meters 		18/20 (Optimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 48 meters 		17/20 (Optimal)
Shading 50 %
Embeddedness 5 %
Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Optimal' at this location.


Stream Water Quality:
No water quality measurements available for this site.

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 10 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blue Ridge Sculpin 130
Blacknose Dace 65
Brown Trout 38
Green Sunfish 31
Fantail Darter 16
Longnose Dace 12
Potomac Sculpin 12
White Sucker 3
American Eel 2
Pumpkinseed 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Northern Water Snake

Crayfish:
Cambarus bartonii bartonii
Procambarus acutus/zonagulus

Exotic Plants:
Bamboo
Daylily(Common)
Garlic Mustard
Japanese Barberry
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Multiflora Rose
Oriental Bittersweet
Tree Of Heaven
Wineberry
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
PROSIMULIUM Black Fly 42
EPHEMERELLA Sulphur Mayfly 14
CHEUMATOPSYCHE Net-Spinning Caddisfly 10
LEPTOPHLEBIIDAE Pronggilled Mayfly 9
AMPHINEMURA Spring Stonefly 6
EPEORUS Mayfly 5
POLYPEDILUM Non-Biting Midges 4
BLEPHARICERA Net-Winged Midges 4
STILOCLADIUS Midge 3
ISOPERLA Stripetail Stonefly 3
DIAMESINAE Non-Biting Midges 2
ORTHOCLADIINAE Midge 2
HEPTAGENIIDAE Flathead Mayfly 2
ACRONEURIA Golden Stoneflies 2
DIAMESA Bloodworm 2
BAETIS Blue-Winged Olive Mayfly 2
TIPULA Crane Fly 1
PARATANYTARSUS Non-Biting Midges 1
DIPLECTRONA Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
TANYPODINAE Non-Biting Midges 1
OULIMNIUS Riffle Beetle 1
PROSTOIA Spring Stonefly 1
SWELTSA Stonefly 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.