MBSS Site Summary for: AA-N-230-302-97


Located on SEVERN RUN in the Severn River watershed, 8-digit code: 02131002.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/27/1997 and again in the summer on 8/7/1997.

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 - 3.3 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 2,755 acres A highly channelized urban stream with concrete banks. An example of a highly channelized urban stream.
Urban Land Use 26.5 %
Agricultural Land Use 19.5 %
Forested Land Use 41.2 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 8/20 (Marginal)
Epifaunal Substrate 7/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = meters 		13/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality 10/20 (Marginal)
Shading 80 %
Embeddedness 50 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 17.4 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 8.7 mg/L
pH (lab) 6.98
Conductivity 147 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		424.9 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 5.1 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
American Eel 46
Tessellated Darter 39
Green Sunfish 26
Blacknose Dace 25
Bluegill 9
White Sucker 9
Eastern Mudminnow 6
Yellow Perch 4
Chain Pickerel 3
Brown Bullhead 1
Gizzard Shad 1
Pumpkinseed 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Northern Green Frog

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
No exotic plants noted.
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Orthocladiinae A Non-Biting Midges 21
Cricotopus/Orthocladius Midge 15
Diamesa Bloodworm 11
Coenagrionidae Narrowwinged Damselfly 5
Rheocricotopus Non-Biting Midges 5
Prostoma Freshwater Nemertean (Ribbon Worm) 3
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 2
Corixidae Water Boatman 2
Taeniopteryx Winter Stonefly 1
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 1
Perlodidae Perlodid Stonefly 1
Dubiraphia Riffle Beetle 1
Boyeria Spotted Darner Dragonfly 1
Eurylophella Mayfly 1
Calopteryx Damselfly 1
Menetus Air Breathing Freshwater Snail 1
Physa Air-Breathing Freshwater Snail 1
Gammarus Amphipod 1
Hyalella Amphipod 1
Tubificidae Aquatic Worm 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.