MBSS Site Summary for: SBPA-232-A-2012

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site SBPA-232-A-2012-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site SBPA-232-A-2012-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on SOUTH BRANCH PATAPSCO RIVER 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 8/24/2012.

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 Poor - 1.7 / 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 19,456 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 18.3 %
Agricultural Land Use 48.5 %
Forested Land Use 31.8 %


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 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 22 meters 		14/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 78 meters 		14/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 7 %
Embeddedness 10 %


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 8.71
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		696.9 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.0887 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 343
Blacknose Dace 186
White Sucker 150
Longnose Dace 106
Creek Chub 53
Central Stoneroller 29
Green Sunfish 20
American Eel 16
Tessellated Darter 16
Common Shiner 15
Bluegill 14
Largemouth Bass 12
Rock Bass 11
Brown Trout 10
Rosyside Dace 10
Northern Hogsucker 9
Cutlip Minnow 6
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Northern Green Frog
Wood Frog

Crayfish:
Orconectes virilis

Exotic Plants:
Burning Bush
Japanese Barberry
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Knotweed
Japanese Stiltgrass
Mile-A-Minute
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Diamesa Bloodworm 34
Hydrobaenus Midge 12
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 12
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 8
DIAMESINAE Non-Biting Midges 6
Prosimulium Black Fly 4
NAIDIDAE Aquatic Worm 3
Orthocladiinae Midge 3
Polycentropus Tube Maker Caddisfly 3
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 2
Ablabesmyia Non-Biting Midge 2
Rheotanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 2
Sympotthastia Non-Biting Midges 2
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 1
Macronychus Riffle Beetle 1
Brillia Non-Biting Midges 1
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Probezzia Biting Midges 1
Clinocera Aquatic Dance Fly 1
LUMBRICULIDAE Worm 1
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 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.