MBSS Site Summary for: UMON-297-X-2017

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site UMON-297-X-2017-MidpointDownstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site UMON-297-X-2017-MidpointUpstream (Opens in a new window)

Located on Little Tuscarora Creek in the Upper Monocacy River watershed, 8-digit code: 02140303.
This stream was visited in the spring on 4/20/2017 and again in the summer on 8/9/2017.

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 Good - 4.0 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 2,873 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 23.2 %
Agricultural Land Use 29.2 %
Forested Land Use 47.3 %


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 16/20 (Optimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 41 meters 		16/20 (Optimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 43 meters 		14/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 80 %
Embeddedness 25 %


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 8.29
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		776.6 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.7622 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 15 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blacknose Dace 230
Potomac Sculpin 137
Blue Ridge Sculpin 109
Longnose Dace 62
Spotfin Shiner 54
Green Sunfish 39
Rosyside Dace 23
White Sucker 23
Fantail Darter 22
Bluntnose Minnow 20
Fallfish 14
Creek Chub 9
Redbreast Sunfish 2
Central Stoneroller 1
Greenside Darter 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Eastern Box Turtle
Gray Treefrog

Crayfish:
Orconectes virilis

Exotic Plants:
Garlic Mustard
Japanese Stiltgrass
Mile-A-Minute
Multiflora Rose
Tree Of Heaven
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
CHIMARRA Fingernet Caddisfly 22
MACCAFFERTIUM March Brown And Cahill Mayfly 13
HYDROPSYCHE Net-Spinning Caddisfly 10
NEOPHYLAX Caddisfly 10
AMPHINEMURA Spring Stonefly 7
CHEUMATOPSYCHE Net-Spinning Caddisfly 5
ISONYCHIA Slate Drake Mayfly 5
CRANGONYX Amphipod 5
EPHEMERELLA Sulphur Mayfly 4
PLAUDITUS Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 3
SIMULIUM Black Fly 3
DIAMESA Bloodworm 3
TRIAENODES Long-Horned Caddisfly 3
MICROPSECTRA Non-Biting Midges 3
DUBIRAPHIA Riffle Beetle 3
EMPIDIDAE Dance Fly 2
ANTOCHA Crane Fly 2
PSEPHENUS Water Penny 2
TVETENIA Non-Biting Midges 2
ANCYRONYX Spider Riffle Beetle 1
TIPULA Crane Fly 1
PYCNOPSYCHE Great Autumn Brown Sedge Caddisfly 1
MACRONYCHUS Riffle Beetle 1
MICROCYLLOEPUS Riffle Beetle 1
OPTIOSERVUS Riffle Beetle 1
GLOSSOSOMATIDAE Saddlecase Maker Caddisfly 1
TANYTARSINI Non-Biting Midges 1
TELOGANOPSIS Mayfly 1
HYDROPTILA Microcaddisfly 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.