MBSS Site Summary for: LIGU-103-R-2015


Located on LITTLE GUNPOWDER FALLS UT in the Little Gunpowder Falls watershed, 8-digit code: 02130804.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/10/2015 and again in the summer on 6/10/2015.

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 Poor - 2.0 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 583 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 25.4 %
Agricultural Land Use 34.8 %
Forested Land Use 36.3 %


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 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 36 meters 		13/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 39 meters 		12/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 10 %
Embeddedness 30 %


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 7.33
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		616.8 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 2.1837 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 4 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blacknose Dace 161
Rosyside Dace 56
Creek Chub 47
American Eel 7
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

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

Crayfish:
Cambarus bartonii bartonii

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Barberry
Japanese Stiltgrass
Mile-A-Minute
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 66
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 14
Antocha Crane Fly 14
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 7
Chimarra Fingernet Caddisfly 5
Sympotthastia Non-Biting Midges 5
Prosimulium Black Fly 4
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 3
Glossosoma Little Black Caddisfly 2
Maccaffertium March Brown And Cahill Mayfly 1
Synorthocladius 1
Gomphidae Clubtail Dragonfly 1
Tipula Crane Fly 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.