MBSS Site Summary for: LIGU-312-R-2001

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site LIGU-312-R-2001-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site LIGU-312-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 3/6/2001 and again in the summer on 7/16/2001.

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 Good - 4.3 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Good - 4.0 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 28,219 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 4 %
Agricultural Land Use 61 %
Forested Land Use 34 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 19/20 (Optimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 18/20 (Optimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 16/20 (Optimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 45 meters 		13/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 75 meters 		19/20 (Optimal)
Shading 65 %
Embeddedness 20 %
Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Optimal' at this location.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 21.7 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 8.9 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.63
Conductivity 160 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		494.8 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 2.2 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 16 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
River Chub 397
Rosyside Dace 232
Longnose Dace 172
American Eel 139
Common Shiner 103
Margined Madtom 99
Cutlip Minnow 77
Northern Hogsucker 39
Blacknose Dace 38
Rosyface Shiner 20
Tessellated Darter 18
White Sucker 18
Sea Lamprey 14
Creek Chub 7
Smallmouth Bass 4
Cyprinid Hybrid 3
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

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

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

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

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 23
Strophopteryx Early Brown Stonefly 11
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 11
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 11
Nemouridae Nemourid Stonefly 9
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 9
Oemopteryx Stonefly 7
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 6
Taeniopteryx Winter Stonefly 5
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 4
Nanocladius Non-Biting Midges 4
Neophylax Caddisfly 4
Perlodidae Perlodid Stonefly 3
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 2
Prosimulium Black Fly 2
Leptoxis Freshwater Snail 2
Serratella Mayfly 1
Dolophilodes Medium Evening Sedge Caddisfly 1
Brillia Non-Biting Midges 1
Conchapelopia Non-Biting Midges 1
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 1
Ameletus Combmouthed Minnow Mayfly 1
Antocha Crane Fly 1
Calopteryx Damselfly 1
Rhyacophila Free-Living Caddisfly 1
Culicoides 1
Leucotrichia 1
Rheosmittia Non-Biting Midges 1
Hemerodromia Tiny Fly 1
Polycentropus Tube Maker Caddisfly 1
Isonychia Slate Drake Mayfly 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.