MBSS Site Summary for: LIGU-217-R-2003

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site LIGU-217-R-2003-688 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site LIGU-217-R-2003-689 (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 3/13/2003 and again in the summer on 7/21/2003.

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 Fair - 3.3 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Good - 4.3 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 20,654 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 3 %
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 16/20 (Optimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 16/20 (Optimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 50 meters 		15/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 40 meters 		16/20 (Optimal)
Shading 50 %
Embeddedness 45 %
Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Optimal' at this location.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 21 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 9.6 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.14
Conductivity 172 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		376.1 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 18 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
American Eel 30
Common Shiner 16
White Sucker 15
Cutlip Minnow 11
Redbreast Sunfish 10
River Chub 10
Smallmouth Bass 9
Northern Hogsucker 8
Rock Bass 8
Margined Madtom 3
Swallowtail Shiner 3
Tessellated Darter 3
Longnose Dace 2
Rosyside Dace 2
Bluegill 1
Creek Chub 1
Rosyface Shiner 1
Sea Lamprey 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Northern Green Frog

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Canada Thistle
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Mile-A-Minute
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Prosimulium Black Fly 15
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 12
Tubificidae Aquatic Worm 11
Prostoia Spring Stonefly 8
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 7
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 6
Enchytraeidae Aquatic Worm 6
Strophopteryx Early Brown Stonefly 6
Nemouridae Nemourid Stonefly 5
Antocha Crane Fly 4
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 3
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 3
Pisidiidae Pill Clam 3
Paraphaenocladius Non-Biting Midges 3
Taeniopteryx Winter Stonefly 3
Lumbriculidae Worm 2
Clinocera Aquatic Dance Fly 2
Sympotthastia Non-Biting Midges 2
Naididae Aquatic Worm 2
Simulium Black Fly 1
Ameletus Combmouthed Minnow Mayfly 1
Corbicula Basket Clam 1
Anchytarsus Beetle 1
Helichus Beetle 1
Rhyacophila Free-Living Caddisfly 1
Dolichopodidae Long-Legged Fly 1
Eurylophella Mayfly 1
Hydrobaenus Midge 1
Orthocladiinae Midge 1
Tipula Crane Fly 1
Lype Net Tube Caddisfly 1
Tanytarsini Non-Biting Midges 1
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 1
Isonychia Slate Drake Mayfly 1
Capniidae Small Winter Stonefly 1
Corixidae Water Boatman 1
Psephenus Water Penny 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.