MBSS Site Summary for: AA-N-126-306-95


Located on SAWMILL CR in the Baltimore Harbor watershed, 8-digit code: 02130903.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/23/1995 and again in the summer on 8/10/1995.

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 Fair - 3.7 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Poor - 2.1 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 5,224 acres A highly channelized urban stream with concrete banks. An example of a highly channelized urban stream.
Urban Land Use 45.8 %
Agricultural Land Use 14.3 %
Forested Land Use 20.8 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 10/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 16/20 (Optimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = meters 		17/20 (Optimal)
Riffle Quality 5/20 (Poor)
Shading 75 %
Embeddedness 50 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 20.2 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 8.4 mg/L
pH (lab) 6.77
Conductivity 280 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		714.8 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 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 12 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Tessellated Darter 74
American Eel 46
Yellow Perch 33
White Sucker 29
Pumpkinseed 8
Chain Pickerel 5
Eastern Mosquitofish 4
Eastern Mudminnow 4
Redbreast Sunfish 4
Golden Shiner 3
Redfin Pickerel 3
Bluegill 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
No amphibians and reptiles noted.

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
No exotic plants noted.
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Gammarus Amphipod 14
Clinocera Aquatic Dance Fly 12
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 11
Rheotanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 8
Cricotopus Non-Biting Midges 8
Chelifera Aquatic Dance Fly 7
Hemerodromia Tiny Fly 4
Calopteryx Damselfly 2
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 2
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 2
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 2
Ancyronyx Spider Riffle Beetle 1
Brillia Non-Biting Midges 1
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 1
Stenochironomus European Non-Biting Midge 1
Oligochaeta Aquatic Worm 1
Stenelmis Beetle 1
Simuliidae 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.