MBSS Site Summary for: BA-P-218-313-96


Located on LITTLE FALLS in the Loch Raven Reservoir watershed, 8-digit code: 02130805.
This stream was visited in the spring on 4/13/1996 and again in the summer on 6/24/1996.

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 Good - 4.3 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 6,449 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 0.3 %
Agricultural Land Use 76.8 %
Forested Land Use 22.1 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 18/20 (Optimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = meters 		10/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality 18/20 (Optimal)
Shading 70 %
Embeddedness 25 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 17 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 10.2 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.2
Conductivity 120 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		272 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.1 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
Blacknose Dace 213
Rosyside Dace 95
Cutlip Minnow 45
Margined Madtom 38
Longnose Dace 33
Creek Chub 21
White Sucker 17
Tessellated Darter 7
Common Shiner 6
Northern Hogsucker 5
Brown Trout 4
American Eel 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Pickerel Frog
Wood Frog

Crayfish:
Cambarus
Cambarus bartonii bartonii

Exotic Plants:
No exotic plants noted.
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 30
Cricotopus/Orthocladius Midge 15
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 12
Cricotopus Non-Biting Midges 4
Simulium Black Fly 4
Clinocera Aquatic Dance Fly 3
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 2
Paraleptophlebia Blue Quill Mayfly 2
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 2
Acroneuria Golden Stoneflies 2
Isonychia Slate Drake Mayfly 2
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 2
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 2
Trissopelopia Non-Biting Midges 2
Macronychus Riffle Beetle 1
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 1
Isoperla Stripetail Stonefly 1
Polycentropus Tube Maker Caddisfly 1
Eurylophella Mayfly 1
Serratella Mayfly 1
Nigronia Megaloptera (Dark Fishfly) 1
Nanocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Drunella Blue-Winged Olive Mayfly 1
Antocha Crane Fly 1
Rhyacophila Free-Living Caddisfly 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.