MBSS Site Summary for: SBPA-302-X-2016

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site SBPA-302-X-2016_midpoint looking downstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site SBPA-302-X-2016_midpoint looking upstream (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 3/3/2016 and again in the summer on 7/6/2016.

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 - 4.7 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Poor - 2.7 / 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 26.1 %
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 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 16/20 (Optimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 18 meters 		15/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 57 meters 		13/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 15 %
Embeddedness 50 %


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 17 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blue Ridge Sculpin 361
Longnose Dace 151
Blacknose Dace 144
Cutlip Minnow 46
Banded Killifish 45
Swallowtail Shiner 43
White Sucker 37
Tessellated Darter 36
Common Shiner 27
American Eel 17
Central Stoneroller 17
Margined Madtom 16
Rosyside Dace 13
Redbreast Sunfish 10
Creek Chub 6
Northern Hogsucker 6
Yellow Bullhead 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Eastern Snapping Turtle
Northern Green Frog

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Hydrilla Verticillata
Japanese Hops
Mile-A-Minute
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 20
Clinocera Aquatic Dance Fly 16
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 16
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 6
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 5
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 5
Cricotopus Non-Biting Midges 4
Nemouridae Nemourid Stonefly 4
Prostoia Spring Stonefly 4
Antocha Crane Fly 3
Orthocladiinae Midge 2
Simulium Black Fly 2
Nanocladius Non-Biting Midges 2
Chaetocladius Non-Biting Midges 2
Rheotanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 2
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 1
Psephenus Water Penny 1
Optioservus Riffle Beetle 1
Neophylax Caddisfly 1
Perlidae Common Stonefly 1
Strophopteryx Early Brown Stonefly 1
Chimarra Fingernet Caddisfly 1
Girardia Freshwater Flatworm 1
Maccaffertium March Brown And Cahill Mayfly 1
Corbicula Basket Clam 1
Chaoborus 1
Neoplasta 1
Physa Air-Breathing Freshwater Snail 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.