MBSS Site Summary for: SBPA-292-A-2007

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site SBPA-292-A-2007-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site SBPA-292-A-2007-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on Middle Run in the S Branch Patapsco watershed, 8-digit code: 02130908.
This stream was visited in the spring on 4/2/2007 and again in the summer on 8/1/2007.

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 Fair - 3.7 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 2,448 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 3 %
Agricultural Land Use 82.8 %
Forested Land Use 12.8 %


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 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 39 meters 		11/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 41 meters 		13/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 80 %
Embeddedness 40 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 19.5 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 7.8 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.06
Conductivity 117 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		285.2 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 0.9301 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 14 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blue Ridge Sculpin 366
Blacknose Dace 177
Rosyside Dace 122
Central Stoneroller 92
White Sucker 61
Longnose Dace 53
Tessellated Darter 45
Bluegill 30
Creek Chub 20
Cutlip Minnow 17
Common Shiner 8
Green Sunfish 4
Brown Trout 3
Largemouth Bass 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Northern Red Salamander
Northern Two-Lined Salamander
Wood Frog

Crayfish:
Orconectes virilis

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

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Micropsectra Non-Biting Midges 15
Oulimnius Riffle Beetle 14
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 10
Rheosmittia Non-Biting Midges 7
Stempellinella Non-Biting Midges 5
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 5
Thienemannimyia group Non-Biting Midges 5
Baetis Blue-Winged Olive Mayfly 5
Chimarra Fingernet Caddisfly 5
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 4
Clinocera Aquatic Dance Fly 4
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 4
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 4
Diamesa Bloodworm 3
Potthastia Non-Biting Midges 2
Trissopelopia Non-Biting Midges 2
Acerpenna Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 2
Sympotthastia Non-Biting Midges 2
Simulium Black Fly 2
Empididae Dance Fly 2
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 2
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 2
Prostoma Freshwater Nemertean (Ribbon Worm) 1
Eurylophella Mayfly 1
Nigronia Megaloptera (Dark Fishfly) 1
Cricotopus Non-Biting Midges 1
Heptageniidae Flathead Mayfly 1
Musculium Fingernail Clam 1
Antocha Crane Fly 1
Tipula Crane Fly 1
Stegopterna Black Fly 1
Prosimulium Black Fly 1
Baetidae Small Minnow Mayfly 1
Hemerodromia Tiny Fly 1
Lumbriculidae Worm 1
Leptophlebiidae Pronggilled Mayfly 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.