MBSS Site Summary for: CR-P-047-316-96


Located on GUNPOWDER FALLS in the Prettyboy Reservoir watershed, 8-digit code: 02130806.
This stream was visited in the spring on 4/15/1996 and again in the summer on 6/4/1996.

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 - 4.3 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Fair - 3.3 / 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 17,424 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 0.5 %
Agricultural Land Use 69.2 %
Forested Land Use 30 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 17/20 (Optimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 19/20 (Optimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = meters 		15/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality 20/20 (Optimal)
Shading 30 %
Embeddedness 25 %
Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Optimal' at this location.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 12.9 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 11.1 mg/L
pH (lab) 8.9
Conductivity 100 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		499.9 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 15 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blue Ridge Sculpin 189
Longnose Dace 117
Rosyside Dace 86
Blacknose Dace 52
River Chub 38
Creek Chub 27
Northern Hogsucker 22
Common Shiner 18
White Sucker 10
Central Stoneroller 7
Margined Madtom 4
Cutlip Minnow 3
Bluntnose Minnow 1
Rainbow Trout 1
Tessellated Darter 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Northern Dusky Salamander

Crayfish:
Orconectes virilis

Exotic Plants:
No exotic plants noted.
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Cricotopus/Orthocladius Midge 25
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 21
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 8
Stenelmis Beetle 8
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 7
Simulium Black Fly 6
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 5
Optioservus Riffle Beetle 4
Paraleptophlebia Blue Quill Mayfly 4
Antocha Crane Fly 4
Hemerodromia Tiny Fly 3
Conchapelopia Non-Biting Midges 2
Oulimnius Riffle Beetle 2
Stegopterna Black Fly 2
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 2
Chimarra Fingernet Caddisfly 1
Glossosoma Little Black Caddisfly 1
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Isonychia Slate Drake Mayfly 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.