MBSS Site Summary for: SBPA-109-R-2000

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site SBPA-109-R-2000-01 (Opens in a new window)

Located on GILLIS FALLS UT2 in the S Branch Patapsco watershed, 8-digit code: 02130908.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/6/2000 and again in the summer on 6/22/2000.

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 - 2.0 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Poor - 2.7 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 50 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 94.9 %
Forested Land Use 5.1 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 6/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 27 meters 		7/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 48 meters 		7/20 (Marginal)
Shading 95 %
Embeddedness 25 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 17.5 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 7.1 mg/L
pH (lab) 6.99
Conductivity 130 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		355.3 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 0.9 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
Blacknose Dace 26
Blue Ridge Sculpin 9
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Northern Two-Lined Salamander

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Honeysuckle
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 31
Trissopelopia Non-Biting Midges 10
Lumbriculidae Worm 9
Anchytarsus Beetle 8
Thienemanniella Non-Biting Midges 7
Paraleptophlebia Blue Quill Mayfly 6
Diplectrona Net-Spinning Caddisfly 5
Stegopterna Black Fly 4
Pseudolimnophila Crane Fly 3
Heterotrissocladius European Non-Biting Midge 3
Apsectrotanypus Non-Biting Midges 2
Conchapelopia Non-Biting Midges 2
Stilocladius Midge 2
Psilotreta Mortarjoint Casemaker Caddisfly 2
Micropsectra Non-Biting Midges 2
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 2
Sympotthastia Non-Biting Midges 1
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 1
Hexatoma Crane Fly 1
Corynoneura Non-Biting Midges 1
Rhyacophila Free-Living Caddisfly 1
Pycnopsyche Great Autumn Brown Sedge Caddisfly 1
Naididae Aquatic Worm 1
Ceratopogon Biting Midge 1
Probezzia 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.