MBSS Site Summary for: CR-P-362-304-95


Located on PINEY RUN in the S Branch Patapsco watershed, 8-digit code: 02130908.
This stream was visited in the spring on 4/6/1995 and again in the summer on 7/18/1995.

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 - 4.7 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Fair - 3.3 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 11,407 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 3.8 %
Agricultural Land Use 68 %
Forested Land Use 25.1 %


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 18/20 (Optimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 17/20 (Optimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = meters 		14/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality 19/20 (Optimal)
Shading 85 %
Embeddedness 5 %
Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Optimal' at this location.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 24.1 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 8.8 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.51
Conductivity 202 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		573.4 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 16 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blue Ridge Sculpin 223
Central Stoneroller 115
Common Shiner 42
Longnose Dace 41
Cutlip Minnow 35
Northern Hogsucker 18
Bluntnose Minnow 15
Rosyside Dace 13
Tessellated Darter 9
Brown Trout 7
Margined Madtom 7
White Sucker 7
Blacknose Dace 6
Largemouth Bass 4
Satinfin Shiner 4
Creek Chub 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Northern Green Frog
Pickerel Frog

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
No exotic plants noted.
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 30
Isonychia Slate Drake Mayfly 16
Rheotanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 14
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 9
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 6
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 5
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 5
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 4
Antocha Crane Fly 4
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 2
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 2
Clinocera Aquatic Dance Fly 2
Prostoia Spring Stonefly 2
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 1
Stenelmis Beetle 1
Perlidae Common Stonefly 1
Leucotrichia 1
Chelifera Aquatic Dance Fly 1
Brillia Non-Biting Midges 1
Conchapelopia Non-Biting Midges 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.