MBSS Site Summary for: SBPA-302-X-2014

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site SBPA-302-X-2014-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site SBPA-302-X-2014-2 (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 4/22/2014 and again in the summer on 8/14/2014.

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 - 1.7 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 9,657 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 26.2 %
Agricultural Land Use 45.1 %
Forested Land Use 24.7 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 10/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 56 meters 		8/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 53 meters 		17/20 (Optimal)
Shading 60 %
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 20 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blacknose Dace 257
Common Shiner 222
Blue Ridge Sculpin 187
Longnose Dace 136
Cutlip Minnow 101
Swallowtail Shiner 100
Northern Hogsucker 32
Tessellated Darter 27
Redbreast Sunfish 26
Rosyside Dace 25
American Eel 19
Margined Madtom 14
Bluntnose Minnow 13
White Sucker 11
Yellow Bullhead 9
Creek Chub 6
Central Stoneroller 4
Largemouth Bass 2
Smallmouth Bass 2
Banded Killifish 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Northern Green Frog

Crayfish:
Orconectes virilis

Exotic Plants:
Autumn Olive
Daylily
Japanese Barberry
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Hops
Japanese Stiltgrass
Mile-A-Minute
Multiflora Rose
Norway Maple
Oriental Bittersweet
Privet
Tree Of Heaven
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Rheotanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 15
Cricotopus Non-Biting Midges 12
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 12
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 11
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 7
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 7
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 6
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 4
Hemerodromia Tiny Fly 4
Perlesta 3
Simulium Black Fly 3
Empididae Dance Fly 2
Orthocladiinae Midge 2
Argia Narrow-Winged Damselfly 2
Dicrotendipes Non-Biting Midges 2
Thienemannimyia Non-Biting Midges 2
Macronychus Riffle Beetle 1
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 1
Cardiocladius Non-Biting Midge 1
Rheocricotopus Non-Biting Midges 1
Phaenopsectra Non-Biting Midges 1
Neoplasta 1
Hydrobaenus Midge 1
Clinocera Aquatic Dance Fly 1
Corbicula Basket Clam 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.