MBSS Site Summary for: LIGU-109-R-2001

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site LIGU-109-R-2001-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site LIGU-109-R-2001-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on LITTLE GUNPOWDER FALLS 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 6/11/2001.

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 Fair - 3.0 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Good - 4.0 / 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 343 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 0 %
Agricultural Land Use 76 %
Forested Land Use 21 %


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 9/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 44 meters 		11/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 32 meters 		11/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 85 %
Embeddedness 60 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 60%. This is relatively high, and may exclude some biota.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 17.6 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 9.1 mg/L
pH (lab) 6.88
Conductivity 120 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		412.5 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 8 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blacknose Dace 69
Creek Chub 22
Bluegill 12
Rosyside Dace 11
Tessellated Darter 10
American Eel 7
Common Shiner 1
White Sucker 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

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

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

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

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 18
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 12
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 11
Optioservus Riffle Beetle 9
Micropsectra Non-Biting Midges 8
Anchytarsus Beetle 5
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 4
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 4
Oulimnius Riffle Beetle 4
Pisidiidae Pill Clam 3
Tipula Crane Fly 3
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 3
Neophylax Caddisfly 3
Antocha Crane Fly 2
Paraleptophlebia Blue Quill Mayfly 2
Pycnopsyche Great Autumn Brown Sedge Caddisfly 2
Trissopelopia Non-Biting Midges 2
Apsectrotanypus Non-Biting Midges 2
Baetidae Small Minnow Mayfly 2
Leptophlebia Pronggilled Mayfly 1
Conchapelopia Non-Biting Midges 1
Zavrelimyia Non-Biting Midges 1
Dicranota Hairy-Eyed Cranefly 1
Eurylophella Mayfly 1
Cricotopus/Orthocladius Midge 1
Lype Net Tube Caddisfly 1
Diplectrona Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Girardia Freshwater Flatworm 1
Tubificidae Aquatic Worm 1
Probezzia Biting Midges 1
Prosimulium Black Fly 1
Hexatoma Crane 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.