MBSS Site Summary for: SM-S-007-138-95


Located on PENBROOK RUN in the St. Mary's River watershed, 8-digit code: 02140103.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/21/1995 and again in the summer on 6/5/1995.

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 - 1.0 / 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 453 acres A highly channelized urban stream with concrete banks. An example of a highly channelized urban stream.
Urban Land Use 27.8 %
Agricultural Land Use 12.3 %
Forested Land Use 59.9 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 5/20 (Poor)
Epifaunal Substrate 4/20 (Poor)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 2/20 (Poor)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = meters 		1/20 (Poor)
Riffle Quality 6/20 (Marginal)
Shading 95 %
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 17.1 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 2.2 mg/L
Dissolved oxygen levels measured in the stream were very low (2.2 mg/L). Many fishes and other aquatic animals cannot tolerate low levels of oxygen in the water.
pH (lab) 5.44
Conductivity 68 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		50.9 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 7 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
Eastern Mudminnow 137
American Eel 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Eastern Box Turtle
Eastern Snapping Turtle
Fowler's Toad
Northern Green Frog
Northern Red Salamander
Northern Two-Lined Salamander
Southern Leopard Frog

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
No exotic plants noted.
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Stegopterna Black Fly 19
Crangonyx Amphipod 13
Procladius Non-Biting Midge 9
Anchytarsus Beetle 8
Conchapelopia Non-Biting Midges 6
Trissopelopia Non-Biting Midges 6
Zavrelimyia Non-Biting Midges 6
Caecidotea Isopod 4
Lepidostoma Little Brown Sedge Caddisfly 3
Nigronia Megaloptera (Dark Fishfly) 3
Leuctra  Rolled-Winged Stonefly 3
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 3
Ptilostomis Giant Casemaker Caddisfly 2
Sialis Alderfly 2
Wormaldia Fingernet Caddisfly 2
Hydrobaenus Midge 2
Lype Net Tube Caddisfly 1
Ablabesmyia Non-Biting Midge 1
Corynoneura Non-Biting Midges 1
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 1
Muscidae Fly 1
Chrysops Deerfly 1
Microvelia Small Water Strider Beetle 1
Cordulegaster Spiketail Dragonfly 1
Polycentropus Tube Maker Caddisfly 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.