MBSS Site Summary for: SBPA-222-A-2012

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site SBPA-222-A-2012-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site SBPA-222-A-2012-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on GILLIS FALLS in the S Branch Patapsco watershed, 8-digit code: 02130908.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/7/2012 and again in the summer on 6/27/2012.

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 - 5.0 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Good - 4.0 / 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 3,805 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 20.8 %
Agricultural Land Use 50.9 %
Forested Land Use 27.5 %


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 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 52 meters 		15/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 31 meters 		16/20 (Optimal)
Shading 40 %
Embeddedness 60 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 60%. This is relatively high, and may exclude some biota.


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 7.37
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		323 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 0.7079 mg/L

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 17 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blue Ridge Sculpin 253
Rosyside Dace 162
Blacknose Dace 111
Creek Chub 39
Cutlip Minnow 32
Common Shiner 30
White Sucker 29
Brown Trout 23
Central Stoneroller 21
Northern Hogsucker 20
Longnose Dace 19
Bluegill 11
Tessellated Darter 11
Largemouth Bass 6
Swallowtail Shiner 6
Green Sunfish 4
American Eel 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Eastern American Toad
Northern Green Frog
Northern Ringneck Snake
Northern Water Snake

Crayfish:
Orconectes virilis

Exotic Plants:
Garlic Mustard
Japanese Barberry
Japanese Stiltgrass
Mile-A-Minute
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Prosimulium Black Fly 43
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 21
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 7
Simulium Black Fly 6
EPHEMERELLIDAE Spiny Crawler Mayfly 5
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 4
Rheotanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 3
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 2
Diplectrona Net-Spinning Caddisfly 2
Clinocera Aquatic Dance Fly 2
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 2
NEMOURIDAE Nemourid Stonefly 2
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
SIMULIIDAE Black Fly 1
Gomphus Clubtail Dragonfly 1
Chimarra Fingernet Caddisfly 1
Maccaffertium March Brown And Cahill Mayfly 1
Orthocladiinae Midge 1
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 1
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 1
Oulimnius Riffle Beetle 1
Isoperla Stripetail 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.