MBSS Site Summary for: BA-P-478-325-95


Located on GWYNNS FALLS in the Gwynns Falls watershed, 8-digit code: 02130905.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/31/1995 and again in the summer on 8/9/1995.

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 Fair - 3.0 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Poor - 1.7 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 19,300 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 31.8 %
Agricultural Land Use 35.8 %
Forested Land Use 31.8 %


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 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 16/20 (Optimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = meters 		17/20 (Optimal)
Riffle Quality 6/20 (Marginal)
Shading 80 %
Embeddedness 20 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 20.9 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 9.1 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.75
Conductivity 234 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		1370 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 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 267
Rock Bass 31
White Sucker 28
Creek Chub 24
Redbreast Sunfish 24
Satinfin Shiner 23
Tessellated Darter 22
Smallmouth Bass 19
Cutlip Minnow 18
Swallowtail Shiner 12
Longnose Dace 9
Common Shiner 7
Central Stoneroller 5
Blacknose Dace 2
Bluegill 2
Margined Madtom 2
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
No amphibians and reptiles noted.

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
No exotic plants noted.
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Cricotopus/Orthocladius Midge 36
Cricotopus Non-Biting Midges 18
Thienemannimyia Non-Biting Midges 5
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 5
Diamesa Bloodworm 5
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 4
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 4
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 4
Stenelmis Beetle 2
Dubiraphia Riffle Beetle 1
Brillia Non-Biting Midges 1
Crangonyx Amphipod 1
Gammarus Amphipod 1
Corbicula Basket Clam 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.