MBSS Site Summary for: SBPA-206-X-2015

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site SBPA-206-X-2015_Midpoint-looking-downstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site SBPA-206-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 6/24/2015.

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 - 3.0 / 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 7,073 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 51.7 %
Forested Land Use 28.2 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 16/20 (Optimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 17/20 (Optimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 35 meters 		13/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 40 meters 		16/20 (Optimal)
Shading 70 %
Embeddedness 25 %
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 14 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Redbreast Sunfish 48
Cutlip Minnow 34
American Eel 27
Longnose Dace 13
Blacknose Dace 9
Creek Chub 6
Bluegill 4
Tessellated Darter 4
White Sucker 4
Central Stoneroller 3
Banded Killifish 2
Common Shiner 2
Black Crappie 1
Blue Ridge Sculpin 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
No amphibians and reptiles noted.

Crayfish:
Orconectes virilis

Exotic Plants:
Garlic Mustard
Japanese Barberry
Japanese Stiltgrass
Multiflora Rose
Oriental Bittersweet
Privet
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 32
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 19
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 18
Simulium Black Fly 10
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 6
Polycentropus Tube Maker Caddisfly 4
Rheotanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 3
Corbicula Basket Clam 3
Chaoborus 3
Chimarra Fingernet Caddisfly 2
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 2
Macronychus Riffle Beetle 1
Hemerodromia Tiny Fly 1
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 1
Maccaffertium March Brown And Cahill Mayfly 1
Hydrobaenus Midge 1
Orthocladiinae Midge 1
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 1
Neureclipsis 1
Stygobromus Amphipod 1
Enchytraeidae Aquatic Worm 1
Ceratopogonidae Biting Midge 1
Diamesa Bloodworm 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.