MBSS Site Summary for: SBPA-205-X-2015

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site SBPA-205-X-2015_Midpoint-looking-downstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site SBPA-205-X-2015_Midpoint-looking-upstream (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 3/19/2015 and again in the summer on 6/23/2015.

Located on PINEY RUN in the S Branch Patapsco watershed, 8-digit code: 02130908.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/19/2015 and again in the summer on 6/23/2015.

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 Fair - 3.33.3 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Poor - 2.32.3 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 7,096 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 51.5 %
Forested Land Use 28.3 %
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 1717/20 (Optimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 1818/20 (Optimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 1616/20 (Optimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 88 meters 		1212/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 7171 meters 		1818/20 (Optimal)
Shading 70 %
Embeddedness 15 %
Shading 70 %
Embeddedness 15 %
Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Optimal' at this location.


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 11 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Longnose Dace 40
American Eel 27
Cutlip Minnow 25
Blue Ridge Sculpin 10
Blacknose Dace 7
Redbreast Sunfish 6
Common Shiner 5
Central Stoneroller 1
Creek Chub 1
Rosyside Dace 1
Tessellated Darter 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
No amphibians and reptiles noted.

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Garlic Mustard
Japanese Barberry
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 29
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 21
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 10
Antocha Crane Fly 9
Corbicula Basket Clam 6
Diamesa Bloodworm 5
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 5
Rheotanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 5
Simulium Black Fly 4
Clinocera Aquatic Dance Fly 3
Maccaffertium March Brown And Cahill Mayfly 3
Cardiocladius Non-Biting Midge 2
Girardia Freshwater Flatworm 2
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 2
Macronychus Riffle Beetle 1
Boyeria Spotted Darner Dragonfly 1
Hemerodromia Tiny Fly 1
Taeniopterygidae Winter Stonefly 1
Chaoborus 1
Leucotrichia 1
Physa Air-Breathing Freshwater Snail 1
Nanocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Hydroptila Microcaddisfly 1
Hydrobaenus Midge 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.