MBSS Site Summary for: BALT-204-R-2009

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site BALT-204-R-2009-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site BALT-204-R-2009-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on Marley 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 7/30/2009.

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 - 3.7 / 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 4,688 acres A highly channelized urban stream with concrete banks. An example of a highly channelized urban stream.
Urban Land Use 78.9 %
Agricultural Land Use 5.7 %
Forested Land Use 14.8 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 7/20 (Marginal)
Epifaunal Substrate 3/20 (Poor)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 6/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 75 meters 		6/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 0 meters 		0/20 (Poor)
Shading 80 %
Embeddedness 100 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 100%. This is very high, and may adversely affect biotic communities.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 21.4 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 8.1 mg/L
pH (lab) 6.96
Conductivity 257 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		1264.5 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 6.4716 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 11 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Eastern Mosquitofish 585
Blacknose Dace 371
Golden Shiner 126
Tessellated Darter 103
Mummichog 79
American Eel 47
Banded Killifish 40
White Sucker 34
Creek Chubsucker 25
Pumpkinseed 11
Bluegill 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Fowler's Toad

Crayfish:
Procambarus
Procambarus clarkii

Exotic Plants:
Common Reed (Phragmites)
English Ivy
Garlic Mustard
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Hops
Mile-A-Minute
Multiflora Rose
Oriental Bittersweet
Privet
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Limnodrilus Worm 48
Tubificidae Aquatic Worm 40
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 14
Gammarus Amphipod 8
Enchytraeidae Aquatic Worm 3
Mooreobdella 2
Musculium Fingernail Clam 2
Phaenopsectra Non-Biting Midges 2
Corixidae Water Boatman 1
Cura Flatworm 1
Isotomurus Elongate-Bodied Springtail 1
Physa Air-Breathing Freshwater Snail 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.