MBSS Site Summary for: LOCH-120-S-2010

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site LOCH-120-S-2010-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site LOCH-120-S-2010-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on Baisman Run in the Loch Raven Reservoir watershed, 8-digit code: 02130805.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/8/2010 and again in the summer on 6/14/2010.

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 - 3.0 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Good - 4.7 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 417 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 2.2 %
Agricultural Land Use 41.4 %
Forested Land Use 56 %


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 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 10/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 26 meters
9/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 56 meters
17/20 (Optimal)
Shading 90 %
Embeddedness 60 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 60%. This is relatively high, and may exclude some biota.


Stream Water Quality:

pH (lab) 7.11
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity)
195.1 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 0.4498 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 5 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blacknose Dace 86
Creek Chub 82
Rosyside Dace 80
Longnose Dace 5
Brown Trout 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:

Eastern American Toad
Northern Ring-Necked Snake
Wood Frog

Crayfish:

Cambarus bartonii bartonii
Orconectes virilis

Exotic Plants:

Garlic Mustard
Japanese Barberry
Japanese Knotweed
Japanese Stiltgrass
Multiflora Rose
Oriental Bittersweet
Privet
Wineberry
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:

Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Prosimulium Black Fly 33
Ephemerellidae Spiny Crawler Mayfly 11
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 10
Tipula Crane Fly 9
Acroneuria Golden Stoneflies 5
Diplectrona Net-Spinning Caddisfly 4
Perlodidae Perlodid Stonefly 4
Prostoia Spring Stonefly 3
Haploperla Green Stonefly 3
Pteronarcys Giant Stonefly 3
Neophylax Caddisfly 3
Clinocera Aquatic Dance Fly 3
Ceratopsyche 2
Nemouridae Nemourid Stonefly 2
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 2
Tanypodinae Non-Biting Midges 2
Perlidae Common Stonefly 2
Oulimnius Riffle Beetle 2
Leuctridae Rolledwinged Stonefly 2
Capniidae Small Winter Stonefly 1
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Parachaetocladius Non-Biting Midge 1
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Stempellinella Non-Biting Midges 1
Trissopelopia Non-Biting Midges 1
Hydatophylax Northern Caddisfly 1
Glossosoma Little Black Caddisfly 1
Lepidostoma Little Brown Sedge Caddisfly 1
Epeorus Mayfly 1
Neoporus 1
Ceratopogonidae Biting Midge 1
Probezzia Biting Midges 1
Ameletus Combmouthed Minnow Mayfly 1
Stegopterna Black Fly 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.