MBSS Site Summary for: UMON-299-X-2016

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site UMON-299-X-2016-MidpointDownstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site UMON-299-X-2016-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 4/6/2016 and again in the summer on 6/8/2016.

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 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 17/20 (Optimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 54 meters 		17/20 (Optimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 21 meters 		12/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 5 %
Embeddedness 30 %


Stream Water Quality:
No water quality measurements available for this site.

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 17 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Potomac Sculpin 373
Blacknose Dace 323
Longnose Dace 78
Green Sunfish 35
White Sucker 33
Fantail Darter 28
Blue Ridge Sculpin 20
Redbreast Sunfish 6
Creek Chub 5
Greenside Darter 5
Central Stoneroller 4
Rosyside Dace 4
Bluntnose Minnow 3
Bluegill 1
Northern Hogsucker 1
Pumpkinseed 1
Rock Bass 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Eastern American Toad
Eastern Red-Backed Salamander
Northern Green Frog
Northern Two-Lined Salamander

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Stiltgrass
Mile-A-Minute
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 47
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 9
Neophylax Caddisfly 9
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 7
Plauditus Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 7
Thienemannimyia Group Non-Biting Midges 6
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 6
Naididae Aquatic Worm 4
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 3
Acentrella Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 3
Optioservus Riffle Beetle 2
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 2
Rheocricotopus Non-Biting Midges 2
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 2
Diamesa Bloodworm 2
Empididae Dance Fly 2
Teloganopsis Mayfly 2
Hydrobaenus Midge 1
Orthocladiinae Midge 1
Dolichopodidae Long-Legged Fly 1
Maccaffertium March Brown And Cahill Mayfly 1
Antocha Crane Fly 1
Calopteryx Damselfly 1
Micropsectra Non-Biting Midges 1
Pagastia 1
Chironomini Non-Biting Midge 1
Cricotopus Non-Biting Midges 1
Diamesinae Non-Biting Midges 1
Rheotanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 1
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 1
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 1
Isonychia Slate Drake Mayfly 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.