MBSS Site Summary for: AA-N-091-314-97


Located on SEVERN RUN in the Severn River watershed, 8-digit code: 02131002.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/25/1997 and again in the summer on 7/31/1997.

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 Fair - 3.3 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Fair - 3.6 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
(Hint: Screen readers will announce definitions; mouse users can hover over dotted text.)
Catchment area 7,955 acres A highly channelized urban stream with concrete banks. An example of a highly channelized urban stream.
Urban Land Use 28.4 %
Agricultural Land Use 19.1 %
Forested Land Use 46.1 %


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 16/20 (Optimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 17/20 (Optimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = meters 		18/20 (Optimal)
Riffle Quality 16/20 (Optimal)
Shading 65 %
Embeddedness 95 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 95%. This is relatively high, and may exclude some biota.
Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Optimal' at this location.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 18.5 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 8.7 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.31
Conductivity 154 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		447 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 3.6 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 15 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
American Eel 44
Tessellated Darter 15
White Sucker 13
Blacknose Dace 8
Pumpkinseed 8
Bluegill 6
Satinfin Shiner 6
Eastern Mudminnow 4
Green Sunfish 3
Yellow Perch 3
Brown Bullhead 2
Chain Pickerel 1
Largemouth Bass 1
Redbreast Sunfish 1
Spottail Shiner 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
No exotic plants noted.
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Acentrella Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 20
Cricotopus/Orthocladius Midge 17
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 12
Rheocricotopus Non-Biting Midges 10
Rheotanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 6
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 3
Isoperla Stripetail Stonefly 2
Conchapelopia Non-Biting Midges 2
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 2
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 1
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Enchytraeidae Aquatic Worm 1
Tubificidae Aquatic Worm 1
Calopteryx Damselfly 1
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 1
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 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.