MBSS Site Summary for: SBPA-206-X-2016

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site SBPA-206-X-2016_midpoint looking downstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site SBPA-206-X-2016_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 3/3/2016 and again in the summer on 6/15/2016.

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.
(Hint: Screen readers will announce definitions; mouse users can hover over dotted text.)
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 26.3 %


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 10/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 16/20 (Optimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 55 meters 		12/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 20 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 14 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Cutlip Minnow 156
Redbreast Sunfish 97
American Eel 84
Longnose Dace 36
Blacknose Dace 33
Common Shiner 20
Tessellated Darter 20
Swallowtail Shiner 13
Banded Killifish 10
White Sucker 10
Bluegill 7
Bluntnose Minnow 4
Blue Ridge Sculpin 3
Central Stoneroller 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Northern Green Frog
Pickerel Frog

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Eurasian Watermilfoil
Garlic Mustard
Hydrilla Verticillata
Japanese Barberry
Japanese Honeysuckle
Multiflora Rose
Oriental Bittersweet
Privet
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 36
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 20
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 18
Simulium Black Fly 8
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 8
Clinocera Aquatic Dance Fly 6
Prostoia Spring Stonefly 4
Nigronia Megaloptera (Dark Fishfly) 2
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 2
Pisidiidae Pill Clam 1
Optioservus Riffle Beetle 1
Rheotanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 1
Cardiocladius Non-Biting Midge 1
Cricotopus Non-Biting Midges 1
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 1
Tubificidae Aquatic Worm 1
Corbicula Basket Clam 1
Diplectrona Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Baetis Blue-Winged Olive Mayfly 1
Girardia Freshwater Flatworm 1
Maccaffertium March Brown And Cahill Mayfly 1
Hemerodromia Tiny Fly 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.