MBSS Site Summary for: LIGU-103-R-2001

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site LIGU-103-R-2001-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site LIGU-103-R-2001-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on LITTLE GUNPOWDER FALLS UT3 in the Little Gunpowder Falls watershed, 8-digit code: 02130804.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/6/2001 and again in the summer on 6/6/2001.

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 Poor - 2.3 / 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 583 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 11 %
Agricultural Land Use 58 %
Forested Land Use 31 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 8/20 (Marginal)
Epifaunal Substrate 8/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 9/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 41 meters 		10/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 38 meters 		14/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 5 %
Embeddedness 40 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 16.2 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 8.9 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.61
Conductivity 250 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		717.1 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.6 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 5 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blacknose Dace 983
White Sucker 47
Rosyside Dace 37
American Eel 31
Creek Chub 15
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Eastern American Toad
Northern Green Frog
Northern Two-Lined Salamander
Pickerel Frog

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Mile-A-Minute
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Prosimulium Black Fly 70
Prostoia Spring Stonefly 19
Ostrocerca Stonefly 8
Sympotthastia Non-Biting Midges 5
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 5
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 5
Eurylophella Mayfly 4
Neophylax Caddisfly 3
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 3
Conchapelopia Non-Biting Midges 2
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 2
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 2
Allocapnia Small Winter Stonefly 1
Boyeria Spotted Darner Dragonfly 1
Paratanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 1
Gomphidae Clubtail Dragonfly 1
Ameletus Combmouthed Minnow Mayfly 1
Tipula Crane Fly 1
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 1
Nigronia Megaloptera (Dark Fishfly) 1
Brillia Non-Biting Midges 1
Sialis Alderfly 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.