MBSS Site Summary for: CR-P-003-316-95


Located on PINEY BR in the S Branch Patapsco watershed, 8-digit code: 02130908.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/5/1995 and again in the summer on 7/20/1995.

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 - 5.0 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Fair - 3.7 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 4,012 acres Cows standing in a stream at a site with high agricultural land use. Cows survey the sampling procedure at this extreme example of a highly agriculturalized site.
Urban Land Use 1.8 %
Agricultural Land Use 78.3 %
Forested Land Use 19 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 17/20 (Optimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = meters 		11/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 85 %
Embeddedness 25 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 18.9 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 8.3 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.26
Conductivity 136 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		372.9 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 0 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
Blue Ridge Sculpin 600
Blacknose Dace 237
Central Stoneroller 220
Rosyside Dace 125
White Sucker 113
Longnose Dace 48
Tessellated Darter 38
Creek Chub 33
Cutlip Minnow 12
Northern Hogsucker 12
Rock Bass 2
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Eastern American Toad
Northern Watersnake

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
No exotic plants noted.
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 26
Simuliidae Black Fly 19
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 18
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 14
Orthocladiinae A Non-Biting Midges 8
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 6
Clinocera Aquatic Dance Fly 6
Naididae Aquatic Worm 6
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 4
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 4
Cricotopus/Orthocladius Midge 3
Cryptolabis 3
Neophylax Caddisfly 3
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 3
Optioservus Riffle Beetle 2
Chelifera Aquatic Dance Fly 2
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 2
Pycnopsyche Great Autumn Brown Sedge Caddisfly 1
Tipula Crane Fly 1
Chimarra Fingernet Caddisfly 1
Leuctra  Rolled-Winged Stonefly 1
Acentrella Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 1
Polycentropodidae Trupetnet And Tubemaking Caddisfly 1
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 1
Prostoia Spring Stonefly 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.