MBSS Site Summary for: LIGU-105-R-2015

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site LIGU-105-R-2015_Midpoint-looking-downstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site LIGU-105-R-2015_Midpoint-looking-upstream (Opens in a new window)

Located on LITTLE GUNPOWDER UT in the Little Gunpowder Falls watershed, 8-digit code: 02130804.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/11/2015 and again in the summer on 6/9/2015.

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 - 1.0 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Good - 5.0 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 182 acres A highly channelized urban stream with concrete banks. An example of a highly channelized urban stream.
Urban Land Use 58.7 %
Agricultural Land Use 0 %
Forested Land Use 37.1 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 19/20 (Optimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 19/20 (Optimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 10/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 15 meters 		9/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 60 meters 		15/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 85 %
Embeddedness 25 %


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 7.28
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		543.2 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 2.5318 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 3 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blacknose Dace 19
American Eel 2
Creek Chub 2
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

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

Crayfish:
Cambarus bartonii bartonii

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Barberry
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Prostoia Spring Stonefly 24
Prosimulium Black Fly 12
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 11
Diplectrona Net-Spinning Caddisfly 9
Neophylax Caddisfly 7
Ameletus Combmouthed Minnow Mayfly 5
Diphetor Mayfly 5
Paraphaenocladius Non-Biting Midges 5
Leptophlebiidae Pronggilled Mayfly 4
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 4
Perlidae Common Stonefly 4
Tipula Crane Fly 3
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 3
Polycentropus Tube Maker Caddisfly 2
Stempellinella Non-Biting Midges 2
Leuctridae Rolledwinged Stonefly 2
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 2
Tallaperla Roach-Like Stonefly 1
Psephenus Water Penny 1
Thienemannimyia Group Non-Biting Midges 1
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 1
Perlodidae Perlodid Stonefly 1
Anchytarsus Beetle 1
Parachaetocladius Non-Biting Midge 1
Micropsectra Non-Biting Midges 1
Maccaffertium March Brown And Cahill Mayfly 1
Stegopterna Black Fly 1
Pseudolimnophila 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.