MBSS Site Summary for: UMON-298-X-2014

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site UMON-298-X-2014-MidpointDownstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site UMON-298-X-2014-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 3/4/2014 and again in the summer on 7/7/2014.

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 - 4.7 / 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 3,666 acres A highly channelized urban stream with concrete banks. An example of a highly channelized urban stream.
Urban Land Use 31.8 %
Agricultural Land Use 27.6 %
Forested Land Use 40.7 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 10/20 (Marginal)
Epifaunal Substrate 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 43 meters 		11/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 38 meters 		15/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 5 %
Embeddedness 50 %


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 8.19
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		775.2 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.5664 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
Potomac Sculpin 574
Blacknose Dace 373
Longnose Dace 79
Fantail Darter 78
Bluntnose Minnow 39
Redbreast Sunfish 34
Blue Ridge Sculpin 20
Green Sunfish 14
White Sucker 12
Greenside Darter 6
Banded Killifish 1
Creek Chub 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Northern Two-Lined Salamander
Pickerel Frog

Crayfish:
Orconectes virilis

Exotic Plants:
Maiden Grass
Mile-A-Minute
Oriental Bittersweet
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Gammarus Amphipod 12
Chimarra Fingernet Caddisfly 8
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 8
Optioservus Riffle Beetle 8
Prosimulium Black Fly 7
Neophylax Caddisfly 7
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 6
Psephenus Water Penny 5
Oulimnius Riffle Beetle 4
Paratanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 3
Antocha Crane Fly 3
Crangonyx Amphipod 3
Tubificidae Aquatic Worm 3
Stenelmis Beetle 3
Clinocera Aquatic Dance Fly 2
Girardia Freshwater Flatworm 2
Orthocladiinae Midge 2
Corynoneura Non-Biting Midges 2
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 2
Micropsectra Non-Biting Midges 2
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Dicrotendipes Non-Biting Midges 1
Ablabesmyia Non-Biting Midge 1
Cladotanytarsus Non-Biting Midge 1
Stictochironomus Non-Biting Midge 1
Brillia Non-Biting Midges 1
Sympotthastia Non-Biting Midges 1
Dubiraphia Riffle Beetle 1
Promoresia Riffle Beetle 1
Isonychia Slate Drake Mayfly 1
Ferrissia Small Air-Breathing Freshwater Limpets 1
Prostoia Spring Stonefly 1
Psychomyia Trumpet-Net Caddisfly 1
Pycnopsyche Great Autumn Brown Sedge Caddisfly 1
Maccaffertium March Brown And Cahill Mayfly 1
Caenis Mayfly 1
Hydrobaenus Midge 1
Stegopterna Black Fly 1
Diamesa Bloodworm 1
Helichus Beetle 1
Physa Air-Breathing Freshwater Snail 1
Synurella Amphipod 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.