MBSS Site Summary for: SEVE-110-R-2008

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site SEVE-110-R-2008-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site SEVE-110-R-2008-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on UT TO CLEMENTS CREEK in the Severn River watershed, 8-digit code: 02131002.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/10/2008 and again in the summer on 6/20/2008.

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 - 2.0 / 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 261 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 9.3 %
Agricultural Land Use 13.4 %
Forested Land Use 75.3 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 3/20 (Poor)
Epifaunal Substrate 4/20 (Poor)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 3/20 (Poor)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 69 meters 		8/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 8 meters 		10/20 (Marginal)
Shading 85 %
Embeddedness 100 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 100%. This is very high, and may adversely affect biotic communities.
Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Poor' at this location.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 18.2 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 8.6 mg/L
pH (lab) 5.71
Conductivity 263 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		33.1 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 0.2926 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 2 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
American Eel 8
Eastern Mudminnow 7
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Common Five-Lined Skink
Northern Green Frog
Northern Spring Peeper
Northern Two-Lined Salamander

Crayfish:
Cambarus diogenes

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Honeysuckle
Mile-A-Minute
Oriental Bittersweet
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 21
Diplectrona Net-Spinning Caddisfly 17
Limnephilidae Northern Casemaker Caddisfly 10
Stilocladius Midge 8
Synurella Amphipod 5
Polycentropus Tube Maker Caddisfly 5
Enchytraeidae Aquatic Worm 4
Limnophyes Non-Biting Midge 4
Pycnopsyche Great Autumn Brown Sedge Caddisfly 3
Parasmittia 3
Hemerodromia Tiny Fly 3
Thienemannimyia Group Non-Biting Midges 3
Boyeria Spotted Darner Dragonfly 2
Tipula Crane Fly 2
Prostoma Freshwater Nemertean (Ribbon Worm) 2
Ptilostomis Giant Casemaker Caddisfly 2
Rheotanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 2
Odontomesa Non-Biting Midge 1
Corynoneura Non-Biting Midges 1
Diplocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Ormosia Cranefly 1
Tipulidae Cranefly 1
Bittacomorpha 1
Stegopterna Black Fly 1
Lumbriculidae Worm 1
Zavrelimyia Non-Biting Midges 1
Pisidiidae Pill Clam 1
Cordulegaster Spiketail Dragonfly 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.