MBSS Site Summary for: BALT-113-R-2015

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site BALT-113-R-2015_Midpoint-looking-downstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site BALT-113-R-2015_Midpoint-looking-upstream (Opens in a new window)

Located on MARLEY CREEK UT in the Baltimore Harbor watershed, 8-digit code: 02130903.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/16/2015 and again in the summer on 7/28/2015.

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 Poor - 2.1 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 862 acres A highly channelized urban stream with concrete banks. An example of a highly channelized urban stream.
Urban Land Use 67.9 %
Agricultural Land Use 0 %
Forested Land Use 30.7 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 6/20 (Marginal)
Epifaunal Substrate 10/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 55 meters 		11/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 20 meters 		6/20 (Marginal)
Shading 80 %
Embeddedness 60 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 60%. This is relatively high, and may exclude some biota.


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 7.13
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		510.4 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 7.9987 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 8 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blacknose Dace 142
Mummichog 21
Tessellated Darter 18
Pumpkinseed 7
Creek Chubsucker 5
White Sucker 4
Eastern Mudminnow 3
American Eel 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Pickerel Frog

Crayfish:
Procambarus clarkii

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Mile-A-Minute
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 49
Paratanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 9
Rheotanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 9
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 7
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 7
Thienemannimyia Group Non-Biting Midges 7
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 5
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 4
Calopteryx Damselfly 3
Xylotopus Midge 2
Tubificidae Aquatic Worm 2
Tipula Crane Fly 2
Cricotopus Non-Biting Midges 2
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 2
Thienemanniella Non-Biting Midges 2
Paraphaenocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 1
Limonia 1
Cryptochironomus Non-Biting Midges 1
Chironomus Non-Biting Midges 1
Argia Narrow-Winged Damselfly 1
Limnephilidae Northern Casemaker Caddisfly 1
Nepidae Water Scorpion 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.