MBSS Site Summary for: WA-V-118-117-95


Located on BLACK ROCK CR in the Antietam Creek watershed, 8-digit code: 02140502.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/6/1995 and again in the summer on 6/6/1995.

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 - 4.0 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Poor - 1.8 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 2,350 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 2.1 %
Agricultural Land Use 30.6 %
Forested Land Use 67.4 %


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 3/20 (Poor)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = meters 		11/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality 16/20 (Optimal)
Shading 13 %
Embeddedness 25 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 17.1 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 9 mg/L
pH (lab) 6.77
Conductivity 19 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		49.4 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 2 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 3 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blacknose Dace 261
Creek Chub 33
White Sucker 5
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
No amphibians and reptiles noted.

Crayfish:
Cambaridae

Exotic Plants:
No exotic plants noted.
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Allocapnia Small Winter Stonefly 34
Simulium Black Fly 22
Diamesa Bloodworm 12
Cricotopus/Orthocladius Midge 11
Heterotrissocladius European Non-Biting Midge 8
Eurylophella Mayfly 3
Ormosia Cranefly 2
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 2
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 1
Micropsectra Non-Biting Midges 1
Tipula Crane Fly 1
Stratiomys 1
Physa Air-Breathing Freshwater Snail 1
Stenelmis Beetle 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.