MBSS Site Summary for: LOCH-122-R-2002

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site LOCH-122-R-2002-506 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site LOCH-122-R-2002-507 (Opens in a new window)

Located on PINEY RUN UT 1 in the Loch Raven Reservoir watershed, 8-digit code: 02130805.
This stream was visited in the spring on 4/3/2002 and again in the summer on 6/27/2002.

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 Poor - 1.3 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Poor - 2.0 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 410 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 %
Agricultural Land Use 85 %
Forested Land Use 14 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat

Instream Habitat 4/20 (Poor)
Epifaunal Substrate 5/20 (Poor)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 6/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 50 meters
5/20 (Poor)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 25 meters
7/20 (Marginal)
Shading 30 %
Embeddedness 90 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 90%. This is relatively high, and may exclude some biota.
Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Poor' at this location.


Stream Water Quality:

Water temperature 23.7 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 5 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.07
Conductivity 180 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity)
402.7 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 2 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Creek Chub 9
Blacknose Dace 8
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:

Eastern American Toad
Eastern Snapping Turtle
Northern Two-Lined Salamander

Crayfish:

No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:

Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:

Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Tubificidae Aquatic Worm 23
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 23
Diamesa Bloodworm 15
Lumbriculidae Worm 14
Naididae Aquatic Worm 13
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 8
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 6
Orthocladiinae Midge 6
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 6
Spirosperma Aquatic Oligochaete Worm 5
Limnodrilus Worm 5
Conchapelopia Non-Biting Midges 4
Parakiefferiella European Non-Biting Midge 4
Chaetocladius Non-Biting Midges 3
Pseudolimnophila Crane Fly 2
Simulium Black Fly 2
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 2
Hemerodromia Tiny Fly 1
Dytiscidae Predaceous Diving Beetle 1
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 1
Neophylax Caddisfly 1
Pseudosuccinea Air Breathing Freshwater Snail 1
Ceratopogonidae Biting Midge 1
Micropsectra Non-Biting Midges 1
Natarsia Non-Biting Midges 1
Sphaerium Fingernail Clam 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.