MBSS Site Summary for: LIGU-201-R-2003

Site Photos

Located on LITTLE GUNPOWDER FALLS in the Little Gunpowder Falls watershed, 8-digit code: 02130804.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/13/2003 and again in the summer on 7/31/2003.

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 Good - 4.0 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Fair - 3.7 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 19,772 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 2 %
Agricultural Land Use 67 %
Forested Land Use 29 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 65 meters 		14/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 15 meters 		15/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 80 %
Embeddedness 40 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 19.8 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 8.8 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.12
Conductivity 171 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		401.2 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 2.3 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 20 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Common Shiner 92
White Sucker 47
Swallowtail Shiner 41
Creek Chub 28
Cutlip Minnow 27
American Eel 26
Tessellated Darter 25
Redbreast Sunfish 24
Longnose Dace 19
Blacknose Dace 17
Sea Lamprey 16
River Chub 12
Rock Bass 8
Rosyside Dace 4
Northern Hogsucker 3
Smallmouth Bass 3
Largemouth Bass 2
Margined Madtom 2
Satinfin Shiner 2
Bluegill 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Eastern Snapping Turtle

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Giant Hogweed
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Mile-A-Minute
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 20
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 12
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 10
Optioservus Riffle Beetle 10
Prosimulium Black Fly 8
Prostoia Spring Stonefly 5
Nemouridae Nemourid Stonefly 4
Sympotthastia Non-Biting Midges 4
Clinocera Aquatic Dance Fly 4
Hydrobaenus Midge 3
Strophopteryx Early Brown Stonefly 2
Enchytraeidae Aquatic Worm 2
Paraphaenocladius Non-Biting Midges 2
Rheosmittia Non-Biting Midges 2
Oulimnius Riffle Beetle 2
Isonychia Slate Drake Mayfly 2
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 1
Corixidae Water Boatman 1
Tubificidae Aquatic Worm 1
Ceratopogonidae Biting Midge 1
Stegopterna Black Fly 1
Gomphidae Clubtail Dragonfly 1
Tipula Crane Fly 1
Heptageniidae Flathead Mayfly 1
Crangonyx Amphipod 1
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 1
Pseudochironomus Non-Biting Midge 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.