MBSS Site Summary for: LOCH-103-X-2023


Located on PINEY RUN in the Loch Raven Reservoir watershed, 8-digit code: 02130805.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/1/2023 and again in the summer on 6/26/2023.

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 Poor - 1.7 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area No data available A highly channelized urban stream with concrete banks. An example of a highly channelized urban stream.
Urban Land Use 56.6 %
Agricultural Land Use 31.2 %
Forested Land Use 12 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 17/20 (Optimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 20 meters 		14/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 55 meters 		15/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 40 %
Embeddedness 35 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 18.6 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 8.24 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.58
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		1718 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 0.987 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
Creek Chub 88
Longnose Dace 68
Common Shiner 43
Blacknose Dace 34
Bluntnose Minnow 30
Bluegill 11
Blue Ridge Sculpin 9
Cutlip Minnow 6
Rosyside Dace 5
Pumpkinseed 3
White Sucker 3
Brown Trout 2
Spotfin Shiner 1
Tessellated Darter 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Gray Treefrog
Northern Green Frog

Crayfish:
Faxonius virilis

Exotic Plants:
Autumn Olive
Garlic Mustard
Japanese Stiltgrass
Mile-A-Minute
Multiflora Rose
Oriental Bittersweet
Wineberry
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
ORTHOCLADIUS Non-Biting Midges 50
HYDROPSYCHE Net-Spinning Caddisfly 30
PARAMETRIOCNEMUS Non-Biting Midges 14
THIENEMANNIMYIA GROUP Non-Biting Midges 8
CHEUMATOPSYCHE Net-Spinning Caddisfly 6
MICROPSECTRA Non-Biting Midges 5
CRICOTOPUS Non-Biting Midges 3
CHIMARRA Fingernet Caddisfly 3
ANTOCHA Crane Fly 3
SUBLETTEA 2
PARATANYTARSUS Non-Biting Midges 2
POLYPEDILUM Non-Biting Midges 2
RHEOTANYTARSUS Non-Biting Midges 2
EUKIEFFERIELLA Non-Biting Midges 2
TANYTARSUS Non-Biting Midges 1
TVETENIA Non-Biting Midges 1
OPTIOSERVUS Riffle Beetle 1
BOYERIA Spotted Darner Dragonfly 1
TRICHOCLINOCERA 1
NAIDIDAE Aquatic Worm 1
STENOCHIRONOMUS European Non-Biting Midge 1
STICTOCHIRONOMUS Non-Biting Midge 1
CORYNONEURA Non-Biting Midges 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.