MBSS Site Summary for: LIGU-254-T-2007

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site LIGU-254-T-2007-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site LIGU-254-T-2007-2 (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 3/13/2007 and again in the summer on 6/22/2007.

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 Good - 4.3 / 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 15,425 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 1.3 %
Agricultural Land Use 66.9 %
Forested Land Use 31 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 17/20 (Optimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 17/20 (Optimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 26 meters 		13/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 65 meters 		18/20 (Optimal)
Shading 55 %
Embeddedness 20 %
Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Optimal' at this location.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 18.1 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 8.3 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.64
Conductivity 176 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		490.2 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.0691 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
Common Shiner 133
River Chub 96
Longnose Dace 78
Swallowtail Shiner 76
Rosyside Dace 71
Blacknose Dace 64
Tessellated Darter 49
American Eel 42
Northern Hogsucker 39
Rosyface Shiner 21
Cutlip Minnow 17
White Sucker 13
Satinfin Shiner 12
Redbreast Sunfish 6
Margined Madtom 5
Rock Bass 4
Sea Lamprey 4
Creek Chub 2
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Gray Treefrog
Northern Green Frog
Northern Two-Lined Salamander

Crayfish:
Orconectes limosus

Exotic Plants:
Garlic Mustard
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 52
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 15
Prostoia Spring Stonefly 5
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 4
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 3
Antocha Crane Fly 3
Chimarra Fingernet Caddisfly 3
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 2
Simuliidae Black Fly 2
Neophylax Caddisfly 2
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 2
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 2
Diplectrona Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 1
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 1
Oulimnius Riffle Beetle 1
Tipula Crane Fly 1
Acroneuria Golden Stoneflies 1
Dicranota Hairy-Eyed Cranefly 1
Eurylophella Mayfly 1
Psychomyia Trumpet-Net Caddisfly 1
Polycentropus Tube Maker Caddisfly 1
Eccoptura Yellow Stone Stonefly 1
Alloperla Stonefly 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.