MBSS Site Summary for: AA-N-281-310-97


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 7/22/1997.

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 Poor - 2.7 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Good - 4.7 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 9,800 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 19.2 %
Forested Land Use 43.3 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 18/20 (Optimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 18/20 (Optimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 17/20 (Optimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = meters 		17/20 (Optimal)
Riffle Quality 17/20 (Optimal)
Shading 60 %
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 21.8 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 8.2 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.18
Conductivity 170 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		398.2 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 3.4 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 11 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
American Eel 52
Eastern Mudminnow 7
Pumpkinseed 7
Tessellated Darter 7
White Sucker 6
Blacknose Dace 5
Yellow Perch 5
Brown Bullhead 3
Bluegill 1
Green Sunfish 1
Satinfin Shiner 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Common Five-Lined Skink
Eastern Box Turtle
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
Acentrella Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 13
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 9
Isoperla Stripetail Stonefly 7
Rheotanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 5
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 4
Cricotopus/Orthocladius Midge 4
Conchapelopia Non-Biting Midges 4
Rheocricotopus Non-Biting Midges 3
Boyeria Spotted Darner Dragonfly 2
Labrundinia Non-Biting Midges 2
Hemerodromia Tiny Fly 2
Taeniopteryx Winter Stonefly 2
Micrasema 2
Crangonyx Amphipod 1
Tubificidae Aquatic Worm 1
Stenelmis Beetle 1
Ceratopogonidae Biting Midge 1
Stegopterna Black Fly 1
Gomphidae Clubtail Dragonfly 1
Peltodytes Crawling Water Beetle 1
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 1
Hydrobaenus Midge 1
Ptilostomis Giant Casemaker Caddisfly 1
Caecidotea Isopod 1
Lepidostoma Little Brown Sedge Caddisfly 1
Eurylophella Mayfly 1
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 1
Leptophlebiidae Pronggilled Mayfly 1
Macronychus Riffle Beetle 1
Oulimnius Riffle Beetle 1
Leuctridae Rolledwinged Stonefly 1
Cordulegaster Spiketail Dragonfly 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.