MBSS Site Summary for: LIGU-102-X-2013

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site LIGU-102-X-2013-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site LIGU-102-X-2013-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on LITTLE GUNPOWDER FALLS UT in the Little Gunpowder Falls watershed, 8-digit code: 02130804.
This stream was visited in the spring on 4/30/2013 and again in the summer on 7/26/2013.

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 Good - 4.3 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 1,340 acres A highly channelized urban stream with concrete banks. An example of a highly channelized urban stream.
Urban Land Use 51.4 %
Agricultural Land Use 19.3 %
Forested Land Use 27.8 %


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 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 10/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 40 meters 		9/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 45 meters 		16/20 (Optimal)
Shading 15 %
Embeddedness 55 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 55%. This is relatively high, and may exclude some biota.


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 7.31
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		397.5 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.2062 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 123
Rosyside Dace 70
Longnose Dace 33
Creek Chub 15
American Eel 9
Bluegill 8
Cutlip Minnow 4
White Sucker 4
Sea Lamprey 2
Northern Hogsucker 1
Tessellated Darter 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Northern Green Frog
Northern Two-Lined Salamander

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Hops
Mile-A-Minute
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 22
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 16
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 14
Dolophilodes Medium Evening Sedge Caddisfly 13
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 9
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 7
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 4
Thienemanniella Non-Biting Midges 4
Antocha Crane Fly 4
Calopteryx Damselfly 3
Diplectrona Net-Spinning Caddisfly 2
Plauditus Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 2
Psephenus Water Penny 1
Taeniopteryx Winter Stonefly 1
Eccoptura Yellow Stone Stonefly 1
Cricotopus Non-Biting Midges 1
PERLODIDAE Perlodid Stonefly 1
Dubiraphia Riffle Beetle 1
Promoresia Riffle Beetle 1
Boyeria Spotted Darner Dragonfly 1
Pseudorthocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 1
Hydroptila Microcaddisfly 1
Parakiefferiella European Non-Biting Midge 1
Lepidostoma Little Brown Sedge Caddisfly 1
Perlesta 1
Leuctra  Rolled-Winged Stonefly 1
Chelifera Aquatic Dance Fly 1
Clinocera Aquatic Dance Fly 1
Helichus Beetle 1
Stenelmis Beetle 1
Simulium Black Fly 1
Neophylax Caddisfly 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.