MBSS Site Summary for: CR-P-409-320-96


Located on NORTH BR PATAPSCO R in the Liberty Reservoir watershed, 8-digit code: 02130907.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/14/1996 and again in the summer on 7/11/1996.

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 - 4.0 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Good - 4.0 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 31,728 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 3.2 %
Agricultural Land Use 73.9 %
Forested Land Use 22.4 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 9/20 (Marginal)
Epifaunal Substrate 10/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 17/20 (Optimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = meters 		19/20 (Optimal)
Riffle Quality 1/20 (Poor)
Shading 60 %
Embeddedness 45 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 17.3 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 9.6 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.42
Conductivity 180 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		518.3 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1 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 17 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
White Sucker 189
Common Shiner 72
Bluntnose Minnow 37
Cutlip Minnow 20
Central Stoneroller 19
Pumpkinseed 15
River Chub 13
Rosyface Shiner 13
Bluegill 12
Blue Ridge Sculpin 10
Creek Chub 10
Largemouth Bass 10
Northern Hogsucker 10
Margined Madtom 9
Tessellated Darter 8
Smallmouth Bass 2
Rosyside Dace 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Eastern American Toad
Pickerel Frog

Crayfish:
Orconectes virilis

Exotic Plants:
No exotic plants noted.
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Eurylophella Mayfly 21
Cricotopus/Orthocladius Midge 15
Isonychia Slate Drake Mayfly 6
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 5
Paraleptophlebia Blue Quill Mayfly 4
Orthocladiinae A Non-Biting Midges 4
Prostoia Spring Stonefly 3
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 2
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 2
Conchapelopia Non-Biting Midges 2
Nanocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Paratanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 1
Rheotanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 1
Zavrelimyia Non-Biting Midges 1
Leptophlebia Pronggilled Mayfly 1
Optioservus Riffle Beetle 1
Ceraclea Scaly-Winged Sedge Caddisfly 1
Tipula Crane Fly 1
Chrysops Deerfly 1
Stygobromus Amphipod 1
Naididae Aquatic Worm 1
Ptilostomis Giant Casemaker Caddisfly 1
Clioperla Green-Winged Stonefly 1
Ephemera Mayfly 1
Dineutus Whirlygig Beetle 1
Eccoptura Yellow Stone Stonefly 1
Centroptilum Small Minnow Mayfly 1
Stenacron Mayfly 1
Nigronia Megaloptera (Dark Fishfly) 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.