MBSS Site Summary for: CR-P-026-109-96


Located on GILLIS FALLS UT2 in the S Branch Patapsco watershed, 8-digit code: 02130908.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/19/1996 and again in the summer on 7/12/1996.

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 Good - 5.0 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Fair - 3.0 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 819 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 1.7 %
Agricultural Land Use 80.1 %
Forested Land Use 18.1 %


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 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = meters 		13/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 80 %
Embeddedness 30 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 15.7 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 10.4 mg/L
pH (lab) 6.89
Conductivity 122 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		226.8 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 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 10 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blue Ridge Sculpin 169
Blacknose Dace 122
White Sucker 34
Rosyside Dace 22
Brown Trout 14
Green Sunfish 3
Creek Chub 2
Tessellated Darter 2
Bluegill 1
Longnose Dace 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Northern Green Frog
Northern Red Salamander
Northern Two-Lined Salamander
Northern Watersnake
Pickerel Frog

Crayfish:
Cambarus bartonii bartonii
Orconectes virilis

Exotic Plants:
No exotic plants noted.
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Anchytarsus Beetle 14
Prosimulium Black Fly 11
Cricotopus/Orthocladius Midge 9
Cardiocladius Non-Biting Midge 9
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 9
Paraleptophlebia Blue Quill Mayfly 8
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 5
Sympotthastia Non-Biting Midges 5
Oulimnius Riffle Beetle 5
Dicranota Hairy-Eyed Cranefly 4
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 4
Optioservus Riffle Beetle 3
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 3
Pseudolimnophila Crane Fly 2
Conchapelopia Non-Biting Midges 2
Micropsectra Non-Biting Midges 1
Larsia Non-Biting Midge 1
Chimarra Fingernet Caddisfly 1
Physa Air-Breathing Freshwater Snail 1
Antocha Crane Fly 1
Simulium Black Fly 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.