MBSS Site Summary for: GWYN-301-R-2007

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site GWYN-301-R-2007-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site GWYN-301-R-2007-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on Gwynns Falls in the Gwynns Falls watershed, 8-digit code: 02130905.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/22/2007 and again in the summer on 6/18/2007.

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 Fair - 3.3 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Poor - 2.0 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 16,616 acres A highly channelized urban stream with concrete banks. An example of a highly channelized urban stream.
Urban Land Use 44.7 %
Agricultural Land Use 26.1 %
Forested Land Use 27.7 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 16/20 (Optimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 53 meters 		13/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 45 meters 		16/20 (Optimal)
Shading 75 %
Embeddedness 15 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 20 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 7.5 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.91
Conductivity 422 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		1241.9 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 0.6591 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 18 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Longnose Dace 146
Satinfin Shiner 68
Central Stoneroller 30
Redbreast Sunfish 26
Tessellated Darter 15
Rock Bass 11
Cutlip Minnow 9
Swallowtail Shiner 6
American Eel 3
Brown Trout 3
Margined Madtom 3
Smallmouth Bass 3
Bluegill 2
Green Sunfish 2
Northern Hogsucker 2
Pumpkinseed 2
Blacknose Dace 1
Oriental Weatherfish 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Northern Two-Lined Salamander

Crayfish:
Orconectes virilis

Exotic Plants:
Garlic Mustard
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Hops
Japanese Stiltgrass
Multiflora Rose
Oriental Bittersweet
Privet
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 37
Antocha Crane Fly 19
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 14
Stenelmis Beetle 8
Leucotrichia 5
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 4
Orthocladiinae Midge 3
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 3
Gordiidae Horsehair Worm 2
Naididae Aquatic Worm 2
Girardia Freshwater Flatworm 2
Prostoma Freshwater Nemertean (Ribbon Worm) 1
Tubificidae Aquatic Worm 1
Sympotthastia Non-Biting Midges 1
Psephenus Water Penny 1
Brillia Non-Biting Midges 1
Diamesinae Non-Biting Midges 1
Micropsectra 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.