MBSS Site Summary for: BA-P-144-322-96


Located on GWYNNS FALLS in the Gwynns Falls watershed, 8-digit code: 02130905.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/11/1996 and again in the summer on 9/3/1996.

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 16,327 acres Cows standing in a stream at a site with high agricultural land use. Cows survey the sampling procedure at this extreme example of a highly agriculturalized site.
Urban Land Use 25.3 %
Agricultural Land Use 40.2 %
Forested Land Use 33.8 %


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 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 18/20 (Optimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = meters 		18/20 (Optimal)
Riffle Quality 1/20 (Poor)
Shading 85 %
Embeddedness 30 %
Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Optimal' at this location.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 18.6 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 8.9 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.68
Conductivity 290 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		1002 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 3.2 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 16 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Green Sunfish 127
White Sucker 35
Creek Chub 25
Bluegill 22
Rock Bass 14
Redbreast Sunfish 8
Cutlip Minnow 7
Central Stoneroller 5
Common Shiner 4
Swallowtail Shiner 3
Largemouth Bass 2
Tessellated Darter 2
Margined Madtom 1
Northern Hogsucker 1
Satinfin Shiner 1
Smallmouth Bass 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
No amphibians and reptiles noted.

Crayfish:
Orconectes virilis

Exotic Plants:
No exotic plants noted.
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 51
Thienemannimyia Non-Biting Midges 14
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 8
Leucrocuta Mayfly 6
Macronychus Riffle Beetle 5
Boyeria Spotted Darner Dragonfly 4
Ancyronyx Spider Riffle Beetle 2
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 2
Antocha Crane Fly 2
Argia Narrow-Winged Damselfly 2
Crangonyx Amphipod 2
Stylogomphus Clubtail Dragonfly 1
Caecidotea Isopod 1
Stenacron Mayfly 1
Rheotanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 1
Optioservus Riffle Beetle 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.