MBSS Site Summary for: LIGU-104-R-2001

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site LIGU-104-R-2001-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site LIGU-104-R-2001-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on WILD CAT BR UT1 in the Little Gunpowder Falls watershed, 8-digit code: 02130804.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/7/2001 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 - 1.0 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Poor - 2.7 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
(Hint: Screen readers will announce definitions; mouse users can hover over dotted text.)
Catchment area 47 acres A highly channelized urban stream with concrete banks. An example of a highly channelized urban stream.
Urban Land Use 50 %
Agricultural Land Use 5 %
Forested Land Use 45 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 7/20 (Marginal)
Epifaunal Substrate 4/20 (Poor)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 4/20 (Poor)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 50 meters 		4/20 (Poor)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 28 meters 		6/20 (Marginal)
Shading 95 %
Embeddedness 95 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 95%. This is relatively high, and may exclude some biota.
Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Poor' at this location.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 18.1 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 7.6 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.05
Conductivity 90 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		315.5 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 2.7 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 1 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
No Fish Observed 0
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Eastern Box Turtle

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Stiltgrass
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Stegopterna Black Fly 34
Tubificidae Aquatic Worm 22
Nemouridae Nemourid Stonefly 19
Heterotrissocladius European Non-Biting Midge 11
Hydrobaenus Midge 9
Diplocladius Non-Biting Midges 6
Spirosperma Aquatic Oligochaete Worm 6
Prosimulium Black Fly 4
Pisidiidae Pill Clam 4
Allocapnia Small Winter Stonefly 2
Stagnicola Air Breathing Freshwater Snail 1
Tanypodinae Non-Biting Midges 1
Zavrelimyia Non-Biting Midges 1
Ironoquia Northern 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.