MBSS Site Summary for: UMON-206-B-2010

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site UMON-206-B-2010-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site UMON-206-B-2010-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on Hunting Creek in the Upper Monocacy River watershed, 8-digit code: 02140303.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/17/2010 and again in the summer on 6/10/2010.

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 - 3.3 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Fair - 3.5 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 4,504 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 5.1 %
Agricultural Land Use 7.6 %
Forested Land Use 86.1 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 16/20 (Optimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 29 meters 		15/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 60 meters 		18/20 (Optimal)
Shading 70 %
Embeddedness 45 %


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 7.385
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		260.2 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 2.4911 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 10 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blacknose Dace 121
Bluegill 49
Blue Ridge Sculpin 44
Brown Trout 33
Rainbow Trout 6
White Sucker 3
Yellow Bullhead 3
Fantail Darter 2
American Eel 1
Longnose Dace 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Eastern Red-Backed Salamander
Northern Green Frog
Northern Water Snake
Pickerel Frog
Wood Frog

Crayfish:
Cambarus bartonii bartonii
Orconectes virilis

Exotic Plants:
Garlic Mustard
Japanese Stiltgrass
Tree Of Heaven
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Eurylophella Mayfly 8
Rheotanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 8
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 7
Chaoborus 7
Prosimulium Black Fly 5
Leuctridae Rolledwinged Stonefly 3
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 3
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 2
Thienemannimyia Group Non-Biting Midges 2
Crangonyx Amphipod 2
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 2
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 2
Ceratopsyche 1
Stenacron Mayfly 1
Orthocladiinae Midge 1
Limnophyes Non-Biting Midge 1
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 1
Ceratopogonidae Biting Midge 1
Helochares 1
Nemoura 1
Diamesa Bloodworm 1
Antocha Crane Fly 1
Isotomurus Elongate-Bodied Springtail 1
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 1
Pycnopsyche Great Autumn Brown Sedge Caddisfly 1
Ironoquia Northern Caddisfly 1
Oulimnius Riffle Beetle 1
Capniidae Small Winter 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.