MBSS Site Summary for: SEVE-203-R-2017

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site SEVE-203-R-2017-MidpointLookingDownstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site SEVE-203-R-2017-MidpointLookingUpstream (Opens in a new window)

Located on Jabez Branch in the Severn River watershed, 8-digit code: 02131002.
This stream was visited in the spring on 4/5/2017 and again in the summer on 6/14/2017.

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 - 2.7 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Good - 5.0 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 3,371 acres A highly channelized urban stream with concrete banks. An example of a highly channelized urban stream.
Urban Land Use 39.5 %
Agricultural Land Use 11.1 %
Forested Land Use 47.8 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 10/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 35 meters 		10/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 40 meters 		11/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 85 %
Embeddedness 95 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 95%. This is relatively high, and may exclude some biota.


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 6.94
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		241.1 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 2.1227 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 7 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blacknose Dace 89
American Eel 35
White Sucker 10
Pumpkinseed 3
Eastern Mudminnow 2
Tessellated Darter 2
Bluegill 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Cope's Gray Treefrog
Eastern American Toad
Northern Green Frog

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Barberry
Japanese Stiltgrass
Mile-A-Minute
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
ACERPENNA Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 28
POLYPEDILUM Non-Biting Midges 21
RHEOTANYTARSUS Non-Biting Midges 19
POLYCENTROPUS Tube Maker Caddisfly 7
LEUCTRIDAE Rolledwinged Stonefly 6
AMPHINEMURA Spring Stonefly 5
THIENEMANNIMYIA GROUP Non-Biting Midges 3
LEPIDOSTOMA Little Brown Sedge Caddisfly 3
ROBACKIA European Non-Biting Midge 2
LEUCTRA  Rolled-Winged Stonefly 2
SIMULIUM Black Fly 2
POTTHASTIA Non-Biting Midges 2
CHAETOCLADIUS Non-Biting Midges 2
CORYNONEURA Non-Biting Midges 2
CHEUMATOPSYCHE Net-Spinning Caddisfly 2
DIPLECTRONA Net-Spinning Caddisfly 2
ABLABESMYIA Non-Biting Midge 2
OULIMNIUS Riffle Beetle 2
TVETENIA Non-Biting Midges 1
ANCYRONYX Spider Riffle Beetle 1
BOYERIA Spotted Darner Dragonfly 1
LIMNOPHYES Non-Biting Midge 1
PARAMETRIOCNEMUS Non-Biting Midges 1
GOMPHIDAE Clubtail Dragonfly 1
CALOPTERYX Damselfly 1
SYNURELLA Amphipod 1
STENELMIS Beetle 1
PROSTOMA Freshwater Nemertean (Ribbon Worm) 1
CHLOROPERLIDAE Green Stonefly 1
EURYLOPHELLA Mayfly 1
ORTHOCLADIINAE Midge 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.