MBSS Site Summary for: UMON-298-X-2015


Located on LITTLE TUSCARORA CREEK in the Upper Monocacy River watershed, 8-digit code: 02140303.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/2/2015 and again in the summer on 6/30/2015.

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 - 2.8 / 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 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 43 meters 		12/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 36 meters 		15/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 10 %
Embeddedness 40 %


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 7.48
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		1156.4 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.2057 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 9 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Potomac Sculpin 563
Blacknose Dace 424
Fantail Darter 97
Longnose Dace 61
Green Sunfish 34
Blue Ridge Sculpin 11
White Sucker 11
Bluntnose Minnow 7
Greenside Darter 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Northern Green Frog

Crayfish:
Orconectes virilis

Exotic Plants:
Canada Thistle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Mile-A-Minute
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 30
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 13
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 10
Crangonyx Amphipod 8
Gammarus Amphipod 8
Diamesa Bloodworm 8
Neophylax Caddisfly 7
Optioservus Riffle Beetle 7
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 3
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 3
Chimarra Fingernet Caddisfly 3
Caecidotea Isopod 3
Dicrotendipes Non-Biting Midges 2
Microcylloepus Riffle Beetle 2
Phaenopsectra Non-Biting Midges 2
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 1
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 1
Paratanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 1
Oulimnius Riffle Beetle 1
Promoresia Riffle Beetle 1
Hemerodromia Tiny Fly 1
Micropsectra Non-Biting Midges 1
Cladotanytarsus Non-Biting Midge 1
Brillia Non-Biting Midges 1
Chrysops Deerfly 1
Leucotrichia 1
Sublettea 1
Stygobromus Amphipod 1
Stenelmis Beetle 1
Prosimulium Black Fly 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.