MBSS Site Summary for: CR-P-419-214-95


Located on GILLIS FALLS in the S Branch Patapsco watershed, 8-digit code: 02130908.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/20/1995 and again in the summer on 7/12/1995.

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 Fair - 3.3 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 6,423 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 0.9 %
Agricultural Land Use 72.8 %
Forested Land Use 25.7 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 18/20 (Optimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = meters 		14/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality 17/20 (Optimal)
Shading 60 %
Embeddedness 25 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 18.4 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 8.6 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.27
Conductivity 124 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		347.5 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 14 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blue Ridge Sculpin 1011
Central Stoneroller 369
Blacknose Dace 333
Rosyside Dace 139
Longnose Dace 127
White Sucker 100
Common Shiner 65
Cutlip Minnow 57
Brown Trout 10
Tessellated Darter 7
Creek Chub 6
River Chub 6
Northern Hogsucker 3
Bluegill 2
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Northern Red Salamander
Northern Two-Lined Salamander

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 80
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 10
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 10
Neophylax Caddisfly 4
Cricotopus/Orthocladius Midge 4
Clinocera Aquatic Dance Fly 4
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 3
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 3
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 3
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 2
Oulimnius Riffle Beetle 1
Lumbriculidae Worm 1
Micropsectra Non-Biting Midges 1
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Brillia Non-Biting Midges 1
Antocha Crane Fly 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.