MBSS Site Summary for: UMON-299-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 7/2/2015.

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 - 4.7 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Fair - 3.0 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 3,745 acres A highly channelized urban stream with concrete banks. An example of a highly channelized urban stream.
Urban Land Use 31.9 %
Agricultural Land Use 27.8 %
Forested Land Use 40.3 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 9/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 44 meters 		13/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 32 meters 		14/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 20 %
Embeddedness 65 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 65%. This is relatively high, and may exclude some biota.


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 7.51
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		1581.1 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.0085 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 11 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Potomac Sculpin 471
Blacknose Dace 279
Fantail Darter 130
White Sucker 29
Blue Ridge Sculpin 20
Green Sunfish 20
Longnose Dace 20
Bluntnose Minnow 16
Greenside Darter 5
Creek Chub 3
Redbreast Sunfish 2
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
No amphibians and reptiles noted.

Crayfish:
Orconectes virilis

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

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 27
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 16
Diamesa Bloodworm 14
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 14
Optioservus Riffle Beetle 10
Chimarra Fingernet Caddisfly 9
Antocha Crane Fly 7
Neophylax Caddisfly 6
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 5
Thienemannimyia Group Non-Biting Midges 4
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 4
Stenelmis Beetle 3
Micropsectra Non-Biting Midges 2
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 2
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 2
Paratanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 2
Orthocladiinae Midge 2
Rheotanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 2
Limnephilidae Northern Casemaker Caddisfly 1
Macronychus Riffle Beetle 1
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 1
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 1
Hemerodromia Tiny Fly 1
Tubificidae Aquatic Worm 1
Cladotanytarsus Non-Biting Midge 1
Brillia Non-Biting Midges 1
Prosimulium Black Fly 1
Girardia Freshwater Flatworm 1
Glossosoma Little Black Caddisfly 1
Triaenodes Long-Horned Caddisfly 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.