MBSS Site Summary for: SBPA-105-R-2007

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site SBPA-105-R-2007-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site SBPA-105-R-2007-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on Gillis Falls in the S Branch Patapsco watershed, 8-digit code: 02130908.
This stream was visited in the spring on 4/2/2007 and again in the summer on 6/27/2007.

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 Poor - 2.0 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
(Hint: Screen readers will announce definitions; mouse users can hover over dotted text.)
Catchment area 354 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 2.9 %
Agricultural Land Use 87.8 %
Forested Land Use 8.2 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 9/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 58 meters 		16/20 (Optimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 17 meters 		9/20 (Marginal)
Shading 60 %
Embeddedness 70 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 70%. This is relatively high, and may exclude some biota.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 16.5 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 8.2 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.11
Conductivity 150 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		408.5 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.0307 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 8 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blue Ridge Sculpin 98
Blacknose Dace 77
Creek Chub 60
Rosyside Dace 23
Tessellated Darter 11
White Sucker 5
Bluegill 1
Brown Trout 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Eastern Snapping Turtle
Northern Green Frog
Northern Red Salamander
Northern Spring Peeper
Northern Two-Lined Salamander
Northern Watersnake
Pickerel Frog

Crayfish:
Orconectes virilis

Exotic Plants:
Canada Thistle
Garlic Mustard
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Mile-A-Minute
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Diamesa Bloodworm 34
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 12
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 10
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 9
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 5
Thienemannimyia group Non-Biting Midges 5
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 4
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 3
Sympotthastia Non-Biting Midges 3
Pseudolimnophila Crane Fly 3
Micropsectra Non-Biting Midges 2
Stenelmis Beetle 2
Tanypodinae Non-Biting Midges 2
Trissopelopia Non-Biting Midges 2
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 2
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 1
Zavrelimyia Non-Biting Midges 1
Dubiraphia Riffle Beetle 1
Oulimnius Riffle Beetle 1
Baetidae Small Minnow Mayfly 1
Anchytarsus Beetle 1
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 1
Potthastia Non-Biting Midges 1
Rheosmittia Non-Biting Midges 1
Tipula Crane Fly 1
Stilocladius Midge 1
Lype Net Tube Caddisfly 1
Neophylax Caddisfly 1
Hydropsychidae Common Netspinner Caddisfly 1
Antocha Crane 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.