MBSS Site Summary for: HO-P-087-202-95


Located on ROCKBURN BR in the Patapsco River L N Br watershed, 8-digit code: 02130906.
This stream was visited in the spring on 4/10/1995 and again in the summer on 6/27/1995.

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 - 4.0 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Fair - 3.0 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 1,228 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 1.3 %
Agricultural Land Use 63 %
Forested Land Use 35.4 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = meters 		11/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 90 %
Embeddedness 15 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 19.2 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 8.5 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.59
Conductivity 208 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		899.9 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 9 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blacknose Dace 129
Blue Ridge Sculpin 87
Rosyside Dace 34
Longnose Dace 23
American Eel 18
Tessellated Darter 10
Redbreast Sunfish 6
Bluegill 4
Creek Chub 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
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
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 24
Orthocladiinae A Non-Biting Midges 20
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 16
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 10
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 7
Cricotopus Non-Biting Midges 3
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 3
Philopotamidae Fingernet Caddisfly 2
Clinocera Aquatic Dance Fly 2
Simulium Black Fly 2
Baetidae Small Minnow Mayfly 2
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 1
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 1
Stegopterna Black Fly 1
Antocha Crane Fly 1
Tipula Crane Fly 1
Chloroperlidae Green Stonefly 1
Eurylophella Mayfly 1
Conchapelopia Non-Biting Midges 1
Corynoneura 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.