MBSS Site Summary for: SEVE-320-R-2017

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site SEVE-320-R-2017-MidpointLookingDownstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site SEVE-320-R-2017-MidpointLookingUpstream (Opens in a new window)

Located on Severn Run in the Severn River watershed, 8-digit code: 02131002.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/8/2017 and again in the summer on 6/22/2017.

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 Fair - 3.7 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Good - 4.1 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 7,435 acres A highly channelized urban stream with concrete banks. An example of a highly channelized urban stream.
Urban Land Use 64.3 %
Agricultural Land Use 1.1 %
Forested Land Use 34.1 %


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 9/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 16/20 (Optimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 52 meters 		13/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 23 meters 		16/20 (Optimal)
Shading 65 %
Embeddedness 100 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 100%. This is very high, and may adversely affect biotic communities.


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 7.09
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		455.6 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 2.6819 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 10 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
American Eel 78
Blacknose Dace 47
White Sucker 46
Tessellated Darter 28
Swallowtail Shiner 21
Pumpkinseed 17
Bluegill 8
Eastern Mosquitofish 8
Satinfin Shiner 8
Eastern Mudminnow 6
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Cope's Gray Treefrog
Northern Green Frog
Northern Spring Peeper

Crayfish:
Orconectes limosus
Procambarus clarkii
Procambarus sp.

Exotic Plants:
Garlic Mustard
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Mile-A-Minute
Multiflora Rose
Oriental Bittersweet
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
RHEOTANYTARSUS Non-Biting Midges 42
CHEUMATOPSYCHE Net-Spinning Caddisfly 23
PARATANYTARSUS Non-Biting Midges 9
MACCAFFERTIUM March Brown And Cahill Mayfly 7
CRANGONYX Amphipod 6
STENOCHIRONOMUS European Non-Biting Midge 6
ACERPENNA Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 5
ORTHOCLADIUS Non-Biting Midges 3
HYDROPSYCHE Net-Spinning Caddisfly 3
CALOPTERYX Damselfly 2
CHIMARRA Fingernet Caddisfly 2
PTILOSTOMIS Giant Casemaker Caddisfly 2
ORTHOCLADIINAE Midge 2
TAENIOPTERYX Winter Stonefly 2
POLYCENTROPUS Tube Maker Caddisfly 1
DUBIRAPHIA Riffle Beetle 1
MICROCYLLOEPUS Riffle Beetle 1
ANCYRONYX Spider Riffle Beetle 1
BOYERIA Spotted Darner Dragonfly 1
TUBIFICIDAE Aquatic Worm 1
HELICHUS Beetle 1
TRIAENODES Long-Horned Caddisfly 1
PARAMETRIOCNEMUS Non-Biting Midges 1
APSECTROTANYPUS Non-Biting Midges 1
DICROTENDIPES Non-Biting Midges 1
DIPLOCLADIUS Non-Biting Midges 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.