MBSS Site Summary for: CR-P-362-317-95


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 7/27/1995.

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 - 3.7 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 9,779 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 4 %
Agricultural Land Use 71.4 %
Forested Land Use 20.8 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 7/20 (Marginal)
Epifaunal Substrate 9/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = meters 		16/20 (Optimal)
Riffle Quality 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 81 %
Embeddedness 10 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 23.5 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 7.6 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.35
Conductivity 216 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		694.6 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
White Sucker 153
Cutlip Minnow 102
Northern Hogsucker 77
Common Shiner 47
Rosyside Dace 39
Largemouth Bass 33
Margined Madtom 26
Redbreast Sunfish 21
Blacknose Dace 20
Swallowtail Shiner 18
Satinfin Shiner 17
Blue Ridge Sculpin 12
Longnose Dace 11
Central Stoneroller 6
Tessellated Darter 6
Creek Chub 4
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Eastern Snapping Turtle

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
No exotic plants noted.
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Perlidae Common Stonefly 11
Stenelmis Beetle 10
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 8
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 8
Paratanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 7
Conchapelopia Non-Biting Midges 7
Optioservus Riffle Beetle 5
Isonychia Slate Drake Mayfly 3
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 3
Cricotopus Non-Biting Midges 3
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 3
Clinocera Aquatic Dance Fly 3
Sublettea 2
Empididae Dance Fly 2
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 2
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 2
Macronychus Riffle Beetle 2
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 1
Psephenus Water Penny 1
Piscicola 1
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 1
Orthocladiinae Midge 1
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Diplectrona Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Aeshnidae Darner Dragonfly 1
Paraleptophlebia Blue Quill Mayfly 1
Chelifera Aquatic Dance Fly 1
Naididae Aquatic Worm 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.