MBSS Site Summary for: JONE-315-S-2012

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site JONE-315-S-2012-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site JONE-315-S-2012-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on NORTH BRANCH JONES FALLS in the Jones Falls watershed, 8-digit code: 02130904.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/5/2012 and again in the summer on 6/21/2012.

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 - 3.0 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Fair - 3.7 / 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 3,805 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 4.5 %
Agricultural Land Use 39.5 %
Forested Land Use 54.4 %


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 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 58 meters 		12/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 46 meters 		15/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 40 %
Embeddedness 65 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 65%. This is relatively high, and may exclude some biota.


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 7.76
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		1195 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 0.4502 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 11 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blacknose Dace 152
Bluegill 103
Creek Chub 64
Longnose Dace 57
Green Sunfish 55
White Sucker 44
Brown Trout 36
Cutlip Minnow 18
Tessellated Darter 15
Largemouth Bass 9
Rosyside Dace 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Eastern Snapping Turtle
Northern Green Frog
Northern Water Snake
Queen Snake
Wood Frog

Crayfish:
Cambarus bartonii bartonii
Orconectes virilis

Exotic Plants:
Burning Bush
Garlic Mustard
Japanese Barberry
Mile-A-Minute
Mimosa
Oriental Bittersweet
Privet
Vinca Vine
Wineberry
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 29
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 10
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 9
Prostoia Spring Stonefly 8
Thienemanniella Non-Biting Midges 7
Diamesa Bloodworm 6
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 5
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 5
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 4
Simulium Black Fly 4
Chimarra Fingernet Caddisfly 3
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 2
Prosimulium Black Fly 2
Isonychia Slate Drake Mayfly 2
Rheotanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 2
Sympotthastia Non-Biting Midges 1
PERLODIDAE Perlodid Stonefly 1
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 1
Neoplasta 1
Leuctra  Rolled-Winged Stonefly 1
Clinocera Aquatic Dance Fly 1
Baetis Blue-Winged Olive Mayfly 1
Ameletus Combmouthed Minnow Mayfly 1
Antocha Crane Fly 1
Diplectrona Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Brillia Non-Biting Midges 1
Corynoneura Non-Biting Midges 1
Maccaffertium March Brown And Cahill Mayfly 1
Dolophilodes Medium Evening Sedge Caddisfly 1
Orthocladiinae Midge 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.