MBSS Site Summary for: CR-P-077-309-95


Located on N BR PATAPSCO R in the Liberty Reservoir watershed, 8-digit code: 02130907.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/31/1995 and again in the summer on 8/8/1995.

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 - 4.3 / 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 13,673 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 5.3 %
Agricultural Land Use 68 %
Forested Land Use 26.2 %


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 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 17/20 (Optimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = meters 		18/20 (Optimal)
Riffle Quality 17/20 (Optimal)
Shading 60 %
Embeddedness 10 %
Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Optimal' at this location.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 20.8 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 9.2 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.69
Conductivity 186 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		626.9 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 2 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 19 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
White Sucker 153
Common Shiner 75
Blue Ridge Sculpin 60
Northern Hogsucker 54
Cutlip Minnow 44
Bluntnose Minnow 34
River Chub 31
Smallmouth Bass 17
Tessellated Darter 14
Margined Madtom 11
Rosyface Shiner 11
Central Stoneroller 9
Redbreast Sunfish 7
Bluegill 3
Blacknose Dace 2
Brown Trout 1
Creek Chub 1
Largemouth Bass 1
Rosyside Dace 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Fowler's Toad

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
No exotic plants noted.
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Orthocladiinae A Non-Biting Midges 18
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 9
Cricotopus/Orthocladius Midge 9
Stictochironomus Non-Biting Midge 7
Naididae Aquatic Worm 7
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 7
Eurylophella Mayfly 7
Stenelmis Beetle 5
Antocha Crane Fly 5
Tanytarsini Non-Biting Midges 5
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 4
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 4
Rheotanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 2
Tribelos Non-Biting Midges 2
Zavrelimyia Non-Biting Midges 2
Thienemanniella Non-Biting Midges 1
Dineutus Whirlygig Beetle 1
Lumbriculidae Worm 1
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 1
Brillia Non-Biting Midges 1
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Tubificidae Aquatic Worm 1
Sialis Alderfly 1
Cura Flatworm 1
Chloroperlidae Green 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.