MBSS Site Summary for: SBPA-207-X-2017

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site SBPA-207-X-2017-MidpointFacingDownstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site SBPA-207-X-2017-MidpointFacingUpstream (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 3/10/2017 and again in the summer on 6/5/2017.

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 1,415 acres A highly channelized urban stream with concrete banks. An example of a highly channelized urban stream.
Urban Land Use 68 %
Agricultural Land Use 14.4 %
Forested Land Use 17 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 10/20 (Marginal)
Epifaunal Substrate 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 37 meters 		11/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 48 meters 		11/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 35 %
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 23 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blacknose Dace 249
Blue Ridge Sculpin 161
Tessellated Darter 110
Rosyside Dace 93
Redbreast Sunfish 87
Creek Chub 78
Cutlip Minnow 74
White Sucker 66
Longnose Dace 46
Spotfin Shiner 39
Satinfin Shiner 34
Banded Killifish 30
Bluegill 28
Swallowtail Shiner 28
American Eel 13
Margined Madtom 7
Yellow Bullhead 4
Common Shiner 3
Northern Hogsucker 3
Black Crappie 2
Fathead Minnow 2
Central Stoneroller 1
Green Sunfish 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Pickerel Frog
Queen Snake

Crayfish:
Orconectes virilis

Exotic Plants:
Autumn Olive
Crown Vetch
Garlic Mustard
Japanese Hops
Privet
Vinca Vine
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
OULIMNIUS Riffle Beetle 20
STENELMIS Beetle 19
SUBLETTEA 18
ANTOCHA Crane Fly 10
ORTHOCLADIUS Non-Biting Midges 9
CHEUMATOPSYCHE Net-Spinning Caddisfly 8
ORTHOCLADIINAE Midge 7
HYDROPSYCHE Net-Spinning Caddisfly 6
CRICOTOPUS Non-Biting Midges 6
PARATANYTARSUS Non-Biting Midges 6
ELMIDAE Riffle Beetle 4
TVETENIA Non-Biting Midges 3
RHEOTANYTARSUS Non-Biting Midges 3
TANYTARSUS Non-Biting Midges 3
HYDROPTILA Microcaddisfly 3
THIENEMANNIELLA Non-Biting Midges 2
THIENEMANNIMYIA GROUP Non-Biting Midges 1
HYDROBAENUS Midge 1
MUSCULIUM Fingernail Clam 1
GIRARDIA Freshwater Flatworm 1
PROSIMULIUM Black Fly 1
DIAMESA Bloodworm 1
NEOPHYLAX Caddisfly 1
GOMPHIDAE Clubtail Dragonfly 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.