MBSS Site Summary for: BA-P-145-327-96


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 7/8/1996.

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 Good - 4.0 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Poor - 2.3 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 13,842 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 21.7 %
Agricultural Land Use 43 %
Forested Land Use 34.6 %


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 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = meters 		16/20 (Optimal)
Riffle Quality 18/20 (Optimal)
Shading 75 %
Embeddedness 50 %
Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Optimal' at this location.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 19.9 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 8.9 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.67
Conductivity 263 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		1008 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.8 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 19 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Green Sunfish 92
Central Stoneroller 86
Longnose Dace 20
Satinfin Shiner 17
Creek Chub 16
Cutlip Minnow 13
Swallowtail Shiner 7
Tessellated Darter 6
Rock Bass 4
Redbreast Sunfish 3
White Sucker 3
Common Shiner 2
Margined Madtom 2
Northern Hogsucker 2
Bluegill 1
Brown Trout 1
Largemouth Bass 1
Rainbow Trout 1
Smallmouth Bass 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Fowler's Toad
Northern Two-Lined Salamander

Crayfish:
Orconectes virilis

Exotic Plants:
No exotic plants noted.
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Antocha Crane Fly 6
Corydalus Dobsonfly 6
Tipula Crane Fly 5
Optioservus Riffle Beetle 3
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 2
Cricotopus/Orthocladius Midge 2
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 2
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Conchapelopia Non-Biting Midges 1
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 1
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Nigronia Megaloptera (Dark Fishfly) 1
Hemerodromia Tiny Fly 1
Prosimulium 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.