MBSS Site Summary for: UMON-278-A-2007

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site UMON-278-A-2007-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site UMON-278-A-2007-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on Friends Creek in the Upper Monocacy River watershed, 8-digit code: 02140303.
This stream was visited in the spring on 4/18/2007 and again in the summer on 7/2/2007.

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 Fair - 3.7 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Poor - 2.8 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 3,669 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 5.5 %
Agricultural Land Use 31.1 %
Forested Land Use 63 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 17/20 (Optimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 16/20 (Optimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 10/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 70 meters 		10/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 25 meters 		16/20 (Optimal)
Shading 85 %
Embeddedness 30 %
Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Optimal' at this location.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 17.8 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 8.2 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.65
Conductivity 228 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		577.3 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.4451 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 12 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blacknose Dace 1103
Blue Ridge Sculpin 246
Central Stoneroller 190
Fantail Darter 169
Bluntnose Minnow 58
White Sucker 57
Longnose Dace 47
Creek Chub 29
Rosyside Dace 29
Cutlip Minnow 16
Largemouth Bass 12
Northern Hogsucker 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Northern Two-Lined Salamander

Crayfish:
Cambarus bartonii bartonii
Orconectes virilis

Exotic Plants:
Garlic Mustard
Japanese Barberry
Japanese Knotweed
Japanese Stiltgrass
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Diamesa Bloodworm 21
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 18
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 8
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 5
Isonychia Slate Drake Mayfly 4
Hydropsychidae Common Netspinner Caddisfly 4
Clinocera Aquatic Dance Fly 4
Diamesinae Non-Biting Midges 4
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 4
Rheocricotopus Non-Biting Midges 3
Prosimulium Black Fly 3
Leuctra  Rolled-Winged Stonefly 3
Psephenus Water Penny 3
Simulium Black Fly 2
Micropsectra Non-Biting Midges 2
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 2
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 2
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 1
Thienemanniella Non-Biting Midges 1
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 1
Sublettea 1
Antocha Crane Fly 1
Stenacron Mayfly 1
Nigronia Megaloptera (Dark Fishfly) 1
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Acentrella Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 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.