MBSS Site Summary for: CR-P-171-306-96


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 6/17/1996.

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 12,659 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 71 %
Forested Land Use 28.2 %


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 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 16/20 (Optimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = meters 		13/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality 16/20 (Optimal)
Shading 80 %
Embeddedness 65 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 65%. This is relatively high, and may exclude some biota.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 18 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 9.7 mg/L
pH (lab) 8.06
Conductivity 132 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		518 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.3 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 14 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blue Ridge Sculpin 201
Common Shiner 92
Rosyside Dace 86
Blacknose Dace 81
Northern Hogsucker 38
White Sucker 36
River Chub 28
Longnose Dace 22
Central Stoneroller 21
Cutlip Minnow 12
Bluntnose Minnow 6
Creek Chub 6
Smallmouth Bass 1
Tessellated Darter 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
No amphibians and reptiles noted.

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 26
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 13
Stegopterna Black Fly 8
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 5
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 5
Paraleptophlebia Blue Quill Mayfly 3
Chimarra Fingernet Caddisfly 3
Isonychia Slate Drake Mayfly 3
Hemerodromia Tiny Fly 2
Lumbriculidae Worm 2
Diamesa Bloodworm 2
Stenelmis Beetle 2
Optioservus Riffle Beetle 2
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 2
Conchapelopia Non-Biting Midges 2
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 2
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Anchytarsus Beetle 1
Trissopelopia Non-Biting Midges 1
Prosimulium Black Fly 1
Glossosoma Little Black Caddisfly 1
Epeorus Mayfly 1
Acerpenna Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 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.