MBSS Site Summary for: BALT-102-R-2009

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site BALT-102-R-2009-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site BALT-102-R-2009-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on Cabin Branch Creek in the Baltimore Harbor watershed, 8-digit code: 02130903.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/16/2009 and again in the summer on 6/29/2009.

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 - 1.3 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 2,373 acres A highly channelized urban stream with concrete banks. An example of a highly channelized urban stream.
Urban Land Use 79.9 %
Agricultural Land Use 6.3 %
Forested Land Use 12.1 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 4/20 (Poor)
Epifaunal Substrate 2/20 (Poor)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 69 meters 		11/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 6 meters 		2/20 (Poor)
Shading 85 %
Embeddedness 65 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 65%. This is relatively high, and may exclude some biota.
Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Poor' at this location.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 19.4 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 5.2 mg/L
pH (lab) 6.59
Conductivity 797 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		1733 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.294 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 4 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Largemouth Bass 7
Redbreast Sunfish 7
Bluegill 6
Eastern Mosquitofish 4
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Northern Green Frog

Crayfish:
Orconectes virilis

Exotic Plants:
English Ivy
Garlic Mustard
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Hops
Multiflora Rose
Oriental Bittersweet
Privet
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Gammarus Amphipod 45
Tubificidae Aquatic Worm 9
Aeshna Mosaic Darner Dragonflies 3
Isotomurus Elongate-Bodied Springtail 2
Chironomus Non-Biting Midges 2
Mooreobdella 2
Lumbriculidae Worm 2
Limnodrilus Worm 1
Coenagrionidae Narrowwinged Damselfly 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.