MBSS Site Summary for: SBPA-205-X-2014

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site SBPA-205-X-2014-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site SBPA-205-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 9/15/2014.

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 - 2.3 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 7,055 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 15 %
Agricultural Land Use 51.4 %
Forested Land Use 28.4 %


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 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 51 meters 		12/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 39 meters 		16/20 (Optimal)
Shading 70 %
Embeddedness 20 %


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 10 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Cutlip Minnow 80
American Eel 62
Longnose Dace 48
Blacknose Dace 37
Tessellated Darter 18
Redbreast Sunfish 15
Swallowtail Shiner 7
Blue Ridge Sculpin 4
Rosyside Dace 4
White Sucker 4
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Northern Green Frog
Northern Two-Lined Salamander

Crayfish:
Orconectes virilis

Exotic Plants:
Garlic Mustard
Japanese Barberry
Japanese Honeysuckle
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
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 15
Cricotopus Non-Biting Midges 14
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 12
Orthocladiinae Midge 12
Rheotanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 11
Corbicula Basket Clam 9
Physa Air-Breathing Freshwater Snail 6
Coenagrionidae Narrowwinged Damselfly 4
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 4
Empididae Dance Fly 4
Potthastia Non-Biting Midges 4
Rheocricotopus Non-Biting Midges 2
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 2
Hemerodromia Tiny Fly 2
Chaetocladius Non-Biting Midges 2
Micropsectra Non-Biting Midges 2
Clinocera Aquatic Dance Fly 2
Ceratopogonidae Biting Midge 2
Prosimulium Black Fly 1
Simulium Black Fly 1
Calopteryx Damselfly 1
Glyptotendipes 1
Neoplasta 1
Parachironomus 1
Hydrobaenus Midge 1
Thienemannimyia Group Non-Biting Midges 1
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 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.