MBSS Site Summary for: BC-P-001-326-96


Located on GWYNNS FALLS in the Gwynns Falls watershed, 8-digit code: 02130905.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/11/1996 and again in the summer on 6/11/1996.

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 Poor - 2.7 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Poor - 2.3 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
(Hint: Screen readers will announce definitions; mouse users can hover over dotted text.)
Catchment area 26,594 acres A highly channelized urban stream with concrete banks. An example of a highly channelized urban stream.
Urban Land Use 41.5 %
Agricultural Land Use 28.4 %
Forested Land Use 29.5 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 18/20 (Optimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 19/20 (Optimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 20/20 (Optimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = meters 		13/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality 19/20 (Optimal)
Shading 50 %
Embeddedness 30 %
Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Optimal' at this location.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 23.9 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 8.7 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.79
Conductivity 318 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		1193 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 2.1 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 9 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
American Eel 29
Smallmouth Bass 10
Yellow Bullhead 10
Cutlip Minnow 8
Redbreast Sunfish 5
White Sucker 4
Rainbow Trout 3
Longnose Dace 1
Satinfin Shiner 1
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
Stenelmis Beetle 1
Simuliidae Black Fly 1
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 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.