MBSS Site Summary for: LIBE-201-R-2007

Site Photos

Located on East Branch of North Branch Patapsco River in the Liberty Reservoir watershed, 8-digit code: 02130907.
This stream was visited in the spring on 4/17/2007 and again in the summer on 8/3/2007.

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 Good - 4.7 / 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 6,811 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 7.2 %
Agricultural Land Use 69.9 %
Forested Land Use 22.6 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 16/20 (Optimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 16/20 (Optimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 50 meters 		13/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 52 meters 		13/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 90 %
Embeddedness 20 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 21.2 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 8.2 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.62
Conductivity 212 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		497.8 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.8745 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 13 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blue Ridge Sculpin 706
Rosyside Dace 174
Blacknose Dace 130
White Sucker 104
Cutlip Minnow 73
Longnose Dace 73
Common Shiner 47
Northern Hogsucker 40
Central Stoneroller 39
River Chub 32
Tessellated Darter 28
Creek Chub 27
Pumpkinseed 5
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Eastern Red-Backed Salamander
Northern Two-Lined Salamander

Crayfish:
Orconectes
Orconectes virilis

Exotic Plants:
Garlic Mustard
Japanese Barberry
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Mile-A-Minute
Multiflora Rose
Wineberry
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Hydrobaenus Midge 22
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 13
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 9
Simulium Black Fly 8
Orthocladiinae Midge 6
Diamesa Bloodworm 5
Clinocera Aquatic Dance Fly 5
Isonychia Slate Drake Mayfly 5
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 3
Diamesinae Non-Biting Midges 3
Tipula Crane Fly 3
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 3
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 2
Diplectrona Net-Spinning Caddisfly 2
Simuliidae Black Fly 2
Thienemannimyia group Non-Biting Midges 2
Trissopelopia Non-Biting Midges 1
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 1
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 1
Ancyronyx Spider Riffle Beetle 1
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 1
Prostoia Spring Stonefly 1
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 1
Chelifera Aquatic Dance Fly 1
Anchytarsus Beetle 1
Neophylax Caddisfly 1
Gomphidae Clubtail Dragonfly 1
Pseudolimnophila Crane Fly 1
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Lepidostoma Little Brown Sedge Caddisfly 1
Serratella Mayfly 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.