MBSS Site Summary for: LOCH-206-R-2016

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site LOCH-206-R-2016_midpoint looking downstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site LOCH-206-R-2016_midpoint looking upstream (Opens in a new window)

Located on Gunpowder Falls UT in the Loch Raven Reservoir watershed, 8-digit code: 02130805.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/2/2016 and again in the summer on 8/22/2016.

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 - 4.7 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Good - 5.0 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 1,924 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 8.1 %
Agricultural Land Use 45 %
Forested Land Use 42.7 %


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 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 30 meters 		13/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 45 meters 		15/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 60 %
Embeddedness 20 %


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 7.6
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		356.1 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 0.8113 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 7 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blue Ridge Sculpin 147
Blacknose Dace 91
Rosyside Dace 42
Brown Trout 16
Creek Chub 11
Longnose Dace 11
White Sucker 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Pickerel Frog

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Garlic Mustard
Japanese Barberry
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Hops
Japanese Stiltgrass
Mile-A-Minute
Multiflora Rose
Oriental Bittersweet
Privet
Wineberry
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 20
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 20
Prosimulium Black Fly 8
Rhyacophila Free-Living Caddisfly 7
Maccaffertium March Brown And Cahill Mayfly 6
Micropsectra Non-Biting Midges 6
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 6
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 4
Sympotthastia Non-Biting Midges 4
Neophylax Caddisfly 4
Orthocladiinae Midge 3
Isonychia Slate Drake Mayfly 3
Prostoia Spring Stonefly 3
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 2
Potthastia Non-Biting Midges 2
Rheotanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 2
Acroneuria Golden Stoneflies 2
Chloroperlidae Green Stonefly 2
Dicranota Hairy-Eyed Cranefly 1
Epeorus Mayfly 1
Diplectrona Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Perlidae Common Stonefly 1
Antocha Crane Fly 1
Chimarra Fingernet Caddisfly 1
Diamesa Bloodworm 1
Baetis Blue-Winged Olive Mayfly 1
Pagastia 1
Helichus Beetle 1
Thienemannimyia Group Non-Biting Midges 1
Leptophlebiidae Pronggilled Mayfly 1
Polycentropus Tube Maker Caddisfly 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.