MBSS Site Summary for: BALT-214-R-2001

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site BALT-214-R-2001-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site BALT-214-R-2001-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on MARLEY CR in the Baltimore Harbor watershed, 8-digit code: 02130903.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/9/2001 and again in the summer on 7/25/2001.

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 - 4.3 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Fair - 3.9 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 2,170 acres A highly channelized urban stream with concrete banks. An example of a highly channelized urban stream.
Urban Land Use 81 %
Agricultural Land Use 6 %
Forested Land Use 12 %


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 6/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 6/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 75 meters 		17/20 (Optimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 0 meters 		0/20 (Poor)
Shading 97 %
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 23.6 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 4.5 mg/L
Dissolved oxygen levels measured in the stream were very low (4.5 mg/L). Many fishes and other aquatic animals cannot tolerate low levels of oxygen in the water.
pH (lab) 6.7
Conductivity 290 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		418 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 2.6 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 13 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
White Sucker 46
Redbreast Sunfish 22
Chain Pickerel 16
Tessellated Darter 14
American Eel 11
Creek Chubsucker 7
Golden Shiner 7
Redfin Pickerel 5
Pumpkinseed 4
Eastern Mudminnow 3
Bluegill 2
Brown Bullhead 1
Least Brook Lamprey 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Eastern Painted Turtle
Northern Green Frog

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

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
Hyalella Amphipod 22
Eurylophella Mayfly 18
Tribelos Non-Biting Midges 10
Cricotopus/Orthocladius Midge 8
Coenagrionidae Narrowwinged Damselfly 6
Ablabesmyia Non-Biting Midge 4
Argia Narrow-Winged Damselfly 3
Paratanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 3
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 3
Ancyronyx Spider Riffle Beetle 2
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 2
Zavrelimyia Non-Biting Midges 2
Physa Air-Breathing Freshwater Snail 2
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 2
Caecidotea Isopod 2
Triaenodes Long-Horned Caddisfly 2
Ischnura 2
Mesosmittia 1
Buenoa 1
Endochironomus 1
Prosimulium Black Fly 1
Calopteryx Damselfly 1
Dicrotendipes Non-Biting Midges 1
Dubiraphia Riffle Beetle 1
Hydroporus Water Beetle 1
Limnodrilus Worm 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.