MBSS Site Summary for: SBPA-204-X-2014

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site SBPA-204-X-2014-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site SBPA-204-X-2014-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on PINEY RUN in the S Branch Patapsco watershed, 8-digit code: 02130908.
This stream was visited in the spring on 4/22/2014 and again in the summer on 8/15/2014.

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 - 4.0 / 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 7,479 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 16.9 %
Agricultural Land Use 50.7 %
Forested Land Use 27.4 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 46 meters 		13/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 38 meters 		16/20 (Optimal)
Shading 30 %
Embeddedness 45 %


Stream Water Quality:
No water quality measurements available for this site.

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 20 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blue Ridge Sculpin 47
Redbreast Sunfish 33
Cutlip Minnow 32
Swallowtail Shiner 31
Central Stoneroller 25
Bluegill 24
American Eel 17
Longnose Dace 14
White Sucker 13
Northern Hogsucker 11
Bluntnose Minnow 8
Common Shiner 7
Largemouth Bass 6
Banded Killifish 5
Yellow Bullhead 5
Blacknose Dace 3
Brown Bullhead 3
Tessellated Darter 3
Pumpkinseed 1
Smallmouth Bass 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Northern Green Frog
Northern Spring Peeper

Crayfish:
Orconectes virilis

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Barberry
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Mile-A-Minute
Multiflora Rose
Privet
Wineberry
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Cricotopus Non-Biting Midges 25
Rheotanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 23
Orthocladiinae Midge 18
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 11
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 10
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 6
Empididae Dance Fly 4
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 3
Simulium Black Fly 2
Neoplasta 2
Cardiocladius Non-Biting Midge 2
Coenagrionidae Narrowwinged Damselfly 1
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 1
Nanocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Penelomax 1
Physa Air-Breathing Freshwater Snail 1
Prosimulium Black Fly 1
Gomphus Clubtail Dragonfly 1
Calopteryx Damselfly 1
Chimarra Fingernet Caddisfly 1
Maccaffertium March Brown And Cahill Mayfly 1
Potthastia Non-Biting Midges 1
Tanypodinae Non-Biting Midges 1
Tribelos Non-Biting Midges 1
Dubiraphia Riffle Beetle 1
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 1
Celina 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.