MBSS Site Summary for: CR-P-363-212-96


Located on PINEY RUN in the S Branch Patapsco watershed, 8-digit code: 02130908.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/18/1996 and again in the summer on 6/27/1996.

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 Poor - 1.3 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 7,807 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 3.3 %
Agricultural Land Use 70.4 %
Forested Land Use 21.7 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 16/20 (Optimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 9/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 18/20 (Optimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = meters 		16/20 (Optimal)
Riffle Quality 17/20 (Optimal)
Shading 45 %
Embeddedness 60 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 60%. This is relatively high, and may exclude some biota.
Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Optimal' at this location.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 23.1 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 7.9 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.3
Conductivity 161 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		456 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 2.8 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 20 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Cutlip Minnow 64
White Sucker 39
Rosyside Dace 31
Blue Ridge Sculpin 22
Redbreast Sunfish 21
Blacknose Dace 16
Longnose Dace 14
Common Shiner 12
Central Stoneroller 10
Swallowtail Shiner 8
Margined Madtom 7
Creek Chub 6
Yellow Bullhead 5
Satinfin Shiner 4
American Eel 3
Northern Hogsucker 3
Spotfin Shiner 3
Bluegill 2
Largemouth Bass 2
Tessellated Darter 2
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Eastern American Toad

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 57
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 9
Rheotanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 5
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 3
Hemerodromia Tiny Fly 3
Prosimulium Black Fly 3
Antocha Crane Fly 2
Strophopteryx Early Brown Stonefly 2
Thienemannimyia Non-Biting Midges 2
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Diamesa Bloodworm 1
Neophylax Caddisfly 1
Physa Air-Breathing Freshwater Snail 1
Sialis Alderfly 1
Stenelmis Beetle 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.