MBSS Site Summary for: SEVE-108-R-2003

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site SEVE-108-R-2003-0832 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site SEVE-108-R-2003-0833 (Opens in a new window)

Located on SEVERN RUN UT3 in the Severn River watershed, 8-digit code: 02131002.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/11/2003 and again in the summer on 6/10/2003.

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 Poor - 2.3 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Fair - 3.9 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 1,435 acres A highly channelized urban stream with concrete banks. An example of a highly channelized urban stream.
Urban Land Use 55 %
Agricultural Land Use 9 %
Forested Land Use 31 %


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 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 32 meters 		15/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 50 meters 		15/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 98 %
Embeddedness 10 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 15.7 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 8.3 mg/L
pH (lab) 6.5
Conductivity 203 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		261.4 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 6.1 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 6 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blacknose Dace 76
American Eel 5
Eastern Mudminnow 4
Tessellated Darter 3
White Sucker 2
Bluegill 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Eastern Box Turtle
Eastern Smooth Earthsnake
Eastern Snapping Turtle
Eastern Wormsnake
Northern Red-Bellied Snake
Northern Two-Lined Salamander
Pickerel Frog

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Stiltgrass
Mile-A-Minute
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Synurella Amphipod 24
Trissopelopia Non-Biting Midges 22
Antocha Crane Fly 7
Diplectrona Net-Spinning Caddisfly 5
Thienemannimyia group Non-Biting Midges 5
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 4
Sialis Alderfly 4
Ceratopogon Biting Midge 4
Stegopterna Black Fly 3
Stilocladius Midge 3
Lype Net Tube Caddisfly 3
Boyeria Spotted Darner Dragonfly 3
Polycentropus Tube Maker Caddisfly 2
Lumbriculidae Worm 2
Optioservus Riffle Beetle 2
Ancyronyx Spider Riffle Beetle 1
Tribelos Non-Biting Midges 1
Zavrelimyia Non-Biting Midges 1
Macronychus Riffle Beetle 1
Physa Air-Breathing Freshwater Snail 1
Paraphaenocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 1
Heteroplectron Caddisfly 1
Chrysops Deerfly 1
Triaenodes Long-Horned Caddisfly 1
Nigronia Megaloptera (Dark Fishfly) 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.