MBSS Site Summary for: UMON-203-R-2007

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site UMON-203-R-2007-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site UMON-203-R-2007-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on Alloway Creek in the Upper Monocacy River watershed, 8-digit code: 02140303.
This stream was visited in the spring on 4/11/2007 and again in the summer on 6/28/2007.

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 Poor - 2.5 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 14,828 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 3.4 %
Agricultural Land Use 84.6 %
Forested Land Use 10.2 %


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 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 7/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 88 meters 		9/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 54 meters 		12/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 65 %
Embeddedness 40 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 24.9 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 6.9 mg/L
pH (lab) 9.27
Conductivity 531 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		1666.2 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 2.7115 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 23 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Bluntnose Minnow 429
Longnose Dace 421
Central Stoneroller 407
Blacknose Dace 295
Banded Killifish 158
Greenside Darter 156
Fantail Darter 95
Smallmouth Bass 75
White Sucker 52
Cutlip Minnow 24
Spotfin Shiner 20
Margined Madtom 19
Green Sunfish 18
Silverjaw Minnow 14
Spottail Shiner 14
Redbreast Sunfish 11
Creek Chub 7
Largemouth Bass 7
Common Shiner 5
Yellow Bullhead 3
Tessellated Darter 2
Bluegill 1
Swallowtail Shiner 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Eastern Snapping Turtle
Northern Green Frog
Pickerel Frog
Queen Snake

Crayfish:
Orconectes rusticus
Orconectes virilis

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Stenelmis Beetle 25
Diamesa Bloodworm 19
Psephenus Water Penny 9
Simulium Black Fly 8
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 7
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 6
Chimarra Fingernet Caddisfly 5
Empididae Dance Fly 4
Thienemannimyia group Non-Biting Midges 4
Orthocladiinae Midge 3
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 3
Ameletus Combmouthed Minnow Mayfly 2
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 2
Hemerodromia Tiny Fly 2
Eurylophella Mayfly 2
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 1
Macronychus Riffle Beetle 1
Crangonyx Amphipod 1
Stegopterna Black Fly 1
Bezzia Biting Midge 1
Rheosmittia Non-Biting Midges 1
Stempellinella Non-Biting Midges 1
Argia Narrow-Winged Damselfly 1
Cura Flatworm 1
Caenis Mayfly 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.