MBSS Site Summary for: SBPA-303-X-2016

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site SBPA-303-X-2016_midpoint looking downstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site SBPA-303-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 - 4.3 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Poor - 2.3 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 9,490 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 25.9 %
Agricultural Land Use 45.4 %
Forested Land Use 24.6 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 10/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 25 meters 		6/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 50 meters 		16/20 (Optimal)
Shading 50 %
Embeddedness 45 %


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 18 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blacknose Dace 428
Blue Ridge Sculpin 352
Longnose Dace 136
Cutlip Minnow 111
Central Stoneroller 58
Swallowtail Shiner 58
Common Shiner 51
Tessellated Darter 44
White Sucker 28
American Eel 25
Redbreast Sunfish 22
Margined Madtom 16
Creek Chub 12
Rosyside Dace 11
Northern Hogsucker 5
Banded Killifish 4
Yellow Bullhead 3
Fathead Minnow 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Eastern Snapping Turtle

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Hydrilla Verticillata
Japanese Barberry
Multiflora Rose
Oriental Bittersweet
Privet
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 21
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 20
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 15
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 8
Antocha Crane Fly 7
Chimarra Fingernet Caddisfly 4
Clinocera Aquatic Dance Fly 4
Nemouridae Nemourid Stonefly 4
Orthocladiinae Midge 3
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 3
Prostoia Spring Stonefly 3
Rheotanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 2
Neophylax Caddisfly 2
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 2
Micropsectra Non-Biting Midges 2
Synorthocladius 1
Stenelmis Beetle 1
Prosimulium Black Fly 1
Simulium Black Fly 1
Diamesa Bloodworm 1
Girardia Freshwater Flatworm 1
Hydroptila Microcaddisfly 1
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 1
Paratanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 1
Microcylloepus Riffle Beetle 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.