MBSS Site Summary for: LIGU-264-A-2007

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site LIGU-264-A-2007-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site LIGU-264-A-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 6/13/2007.

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 Fair - 3.7 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Fair - 3.0 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 5,676 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 0.9 %
Agricultural Land Use 68.3 %
Forested Land Use 30.2 %


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 10/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 39 meters 		10/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 36 meters 		16/20 (Optimal)
Shading 40 %
Embeddedness 30 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 17.5 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 8.7 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.48
Conductivity 164 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		349.96 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.2173 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 14 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blacknose Dace 298
Longnose Dace 160
Cutlip Minnow 118
Tessellated Darter 42
Rosyside Dace 33
American Eel 14
Satinfin Shiner 13
Northern Hogsucker 9
Creek Chub 6
Margined Madtom 6
Sea Lamprey 5
Swallowtail Shiner 4
White Sucker 3
Common Shiner 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Eastern Gartersnake
Gray Treefrog
Northern Green Frog
Northern Two-Lined Salamander

Crayfish:
Orconectes limosus

Exotic Plants:
Garlic Mustard
Japanese Stiltgrass
Mile-A-Minute
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 22
Sympotthastia Non-Biting Midges 11
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 10
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 8
Antocha Crane Fly 7
Diamesa Bloodworm 6
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 6
Optioservus Riffle Beetle 4
Prosimulium Black Fly 4
Stenelmis Beetle 3
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 3
Neophylax Caddisfly 2
Chimarra Fingernet Caddisfly 2
Prostoia Spring Stonefly 2
Hemerodromia Tiny Fly 2
Rheosmittia Non-Biting Midges 1
Glossosoma Little Black Caddisfly 1
Simulium Black Fly 1
Goera 1
Leucotrichia 1
Tubificidae Aquatic Worm 1
Diamesinae Non-Biting Midges 1
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 1
Thienemanniella Non-Biting Midges 1
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 1
Dubiraphia Riffle Beetle 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.