MBSS Site Summary for: AA-N-172-209-95


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 7/5/1995.

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 - 3.3 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Fair - 3.9 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 1,716 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 9.9 %
Agricultural Land Use 27.8 %
Forested Land Use 38.5 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 7/20 (Marginal)
Epifaunal Substrate 4/20 (Poor)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 10/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = meters 		12/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 96 %
Embeddedness 50 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 18.7 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 8.2 mg/L
pH (lab) 6.67
Conductivity 144 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		295.5 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 4 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 7 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Tessellated Darter 48
Eastern Mudminnow 8
Least Brook Lamprey 7
American Eel 6
Creek Chubsucker 1
Redfin Pickerel 1
White Sucker 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
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 44
Oulimnius Riffle Beetle 43
Neophylax Caddisfly 10
Stegopterna Black Fly 8
Lepidostoma Little Brown Sedge Caddisfly 8
Acerpenna Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 5
Optioservus Riffle Beetle 4
Glossosoma Little Black Caddisfly 2
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 2
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 1
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 1
Sialis Alderfly 1
Chimarra Fingernet Caddisfly 1
Dolophilodes Medium Evening Sedge Caddisfly 1
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning 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.