MBSS Site Summary for: LIBE-356-A-2007

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site LIBE-356-A-2007-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site LIBE-356-A-2007-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on North Branch Patapsco River in the Liberty Reservoir watershed, 8-digit code: 02130907.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/14/2007 and again in the summer on 7/19/2007.

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 27,309 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 7.8 %
Agricultural Land Use 65 %
Forested Land Use 26.6 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat

Instream Habitat 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 9/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 59 meters
9/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 75 meters
14/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 55 %
Embeddedness 25 %


Stream Water Quality:

Water temperature 20.9 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 8.5 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.52
Conductivity 222 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity)
601.6 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 0.9628 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 19 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Central Stoneroller 1439
Longnose Dace 882
Blue Ridge Sculpin 634
Blacknose Dace 368
White Sucker 229
Tessellated Darter 190
Cutlip Minnow 117
Rosyside Dace 99
Common Shiner 86
Northern Hogsucker 59
Bluntnose Minnow 26
Brown Trout 18
Creek Chub 18
River Chub 18
Margined Madtom 13
Rosyface Shiner 13
Largemouth Bass 3
Redbreast Sunfish 3
Smallmouth Bass 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:

Eastern American Toad
Eastern Snapping Turtle
Fowler's Toad
Long-Tailed Salamander
Northern Two-Lined Salamander

Crayfish:

Orconectes virilis

Exotic Plants:

Garlic Mustard
Japanese Barberry
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Hops
Japanese Knotweed
Japanese Stiltgrass
Mile-A-Minute
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:

Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Isonychia Slate Drake Mayfly 20
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 15
Prosimulium Black Fly 11
Clinocera Aquatic Dance Fly 7
Antocha Crane Fly 6
Diamesa Bloodworm 5
Prostoia Spring Stonefly 4
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 3
Lumbriculidae Worm 3
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 3
Leucotrichia 3
Glossosoma Little Black Caddisfly 3
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 3
Baetidae Small Minnow Mayfly 2
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 2
Micropsectra Non-Biting Midges 1
Diplectrona Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Cricotopus Non-Biting Midges 1
Paraphaenocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Potthastia Non-Biting Midges 1
Rheosmittia Non-Biting Midges 1
Sympotthastia Non-Biting Midges 1
Optioservus Riffle Beetle 1
Molophilus 1
Corbicula Basket Clam 1
Baetis Blue-Winged Olive Mayfly 1
Tipula Crane Fly 1
Strophopteryx Early Brown Stonefly 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.