MBSS Site Summary for: BA-P-291-217-95


Located on FALLS RUN in the Patapsco River L N Br watershed, 8-digit code: 02130906.
This stream was visited in the spring on 4/10/1995 and again in the summer on 6/13/1995.

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 Good - 5.0 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 1,745 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 4.9 %
Agricultural Land Use 45.4 %
Forested Land Use 44.6 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = meters 		11/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 60 %
Embeddedness 20 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 14.3 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 9.4 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.9
Conductivity 210 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		694.4 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 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 6 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blacknose Dace 351
Rosyside Dace 263
Blue Ridge Sculpin 152
Creek Chub 39
Longnose Dace 15
White Sucker 5
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Pickerel 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
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 45
Optioservus Riffle Beetle 12
Cricotopus/Orthocladius Midge 10
Prosimulium Black Fly 8
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 4
Ameletus Combmouthed Minnow Mayfly 3
Antocha Crane Fly 3
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 2
Orthocladiinae Midge 2
Isonychia Slate Drake Mayfly 2
Orthocladiinae A Non-Biting Midges 2
Baetidae Small Minnow Mayfly 1
Centroptilum Small Minnow Mayfly 1
Oulimnius Riffle Beetle 1
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Rheocricotopus Non-Biting Midges 1
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 1
Trissopelopia Non-Biting Midges 1
Tabanidae Horse Fly 1
Eurylophella Mayfly 1
Calopteryx Damselfly 1
Paraleptophlebia Blue Quill Mayfly 1
Neophylax Caddisfly 1
Erpetogomphus 1
Clinocera Aquatic Dance 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.