MBSS Site Summary for: SEVE-210-R-2003

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site SEVE-210-R-2003-0825 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site SEVE-210-R-2003-0826 (Opens in a new window)

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

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 - 2.0 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Good - 4.7 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 2,528 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 22 %
Agricultural Land Use 25 %
Forested Land Use 53 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat

Instream Habitat 7/20 (Marginal)
Epifaunal Substrate 6/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 5 meters
12/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 75 meters
14/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 92 %
Embeddedness 80 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 80%. This is relatively high, and may exclude some biota.


Stream Water Quality:

Water temperature 16.8 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 8.8 mg/L
pH (lab) 6.5
Conductivity 154 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity)
142.6 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 4.2 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 84
Eastern Mudminnow 11
American Eel 9
Tessellated Darter 6
Golden Shiner 1
Green Sunfish 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:

Northern Green Frog
Northern Two-Lined Salamander

Crayfish:

No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:

Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:

Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Acerpenna Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 23
Prosimulium Black Fly 21
Stenelmis Beetle 7
Nigronia Megaloptera (Dark Fishfly) 6
Zavrelimyia Non-Biting Midges 5
Diplectrona Net-Spinning Caddisfly 4
Tribelos Non-Biting Midges 4
Polycentropus Tube Maker Caddisfly 4
Stegopterna Black Fly 4
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 3
Leuctra  Rolled-Winged Stonefly 3
Sialis Alderfly 3
Eccoptura Yellow Stone Stonefly 3
Dineutus Whirlygig Beetle 2
Tanytarsini Non-Biting Midges 2
Cordulegaster Spiketail Dragonfly 2
Anchytarsus Beetle 2
Tipula Crane Fly 2
Calopteryx Damselfly 1
Chrysops Deerfly 1
Robackia European Non-Biting Midge 1
Prostoma Freshwater Nemertean (Ribbon Worm) 1
Chloroperlidae Green Stonefly 1
Dicranota Hairy-Eyed Cranefly 1
Helichus Beetle 1
Synurella Amphipod 1
Lype Net Tube Caddisfly 1
Boyeria Spotted Darner Dragonfly 1
Hydatophylax Northern Caddisfly 1
Oulimnius Riffle Beetle 1
Micropsectra Non-Biting Midges 1
Lumbriculidae Worm 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.