MBSS Site Summary for: CR-P-398-222-95


Located on GILLIS FALLS in the S Branch Patapsco watershed, 8-digit code: 02130908.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/30/1995 and again in the summer on 7/17/1995.

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 - 5.0 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Good - 4.3 / 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 3,819 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 1 %
Agricultural Land Use 75.3 %
Forested Land Use 23 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 17/20 (Optimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 18/20 (Optimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = meters 		18/20 (Optimal)
Riffle Quality 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 85 %
Embeddedness 10 %
Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Optimal' at this location.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 20.3 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 8.2 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.09
Conductivity 122 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		312.1 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 4 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 12 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blue Ridge Sculpin 488
Blacknose Dace 124
Rosyside Dace 90
White Sucker 62
Cutlip Minnow 41
Brown Trout 29
Tessellated Darter 25
Longnose Dace 24
Creek Chub 19
Common Shiner 6
Central Stoneroller 3
Northern Hogsucker 3
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
No amphibians and reptiles noted.

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
No exotic plants noted.
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Prosimulium Black Fly 31
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 24
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 13
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 6
Micropsectra Non-Biting Midges 6
Antocha Crane Fly 4
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 4
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 3
Nemouridae Nemourid Stonefly 2
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 2
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 2
Rhyacophila Free-Living Caddisfly 2
Neophylax Caddisfly 2
Stenelmis Beetle 1
Simulium Black Fly 1
Paraleptophlebia Blue Quill Mayfly 1
Dolophilodes Medium Evening Sedge Caddisfly 1
Hexatoma Crane Fly 1
Tipula Crane Fly 1
Thienemanniella Non-Biting Midges 1
Perlodidae Perlodid Stonefly 1
Optioservus Riffle Beetle 1
Nanocladius 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.