MBSS Site Summary for: STMA-102-R-2009

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site STMA-102-R-2009-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site STMA-102-R-2009-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on Penbrook Run in the St. Mary's River watershed, 8-digit code: 02140103.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/11/2009 and again in the summer on 7/8/2009.

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 Good - 4.3 / 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 1,325 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 14.8 %
Agricultural Land Use 23.2 %
Forested Land Use 54.3 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 9/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 70 meters 		14/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 7 meters 		10/20 (Marginal)
Shading 70 %
Embeddedness 45 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 21.5 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 4.6 mg/L
Dissolved oxygen levels measured in the stream were very low (4.6 mg/L). Many fishes and other aquatic animals cannot tolerate low levels of oxygen in the water.
pH (lab) 5.94
Conductivity 55 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		92.5 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 5.2049 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 14 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Swallowtail Shiner 65
Redbreast Sunfish 50
Tessellated Darter 42
Margined Madtom 33
Least Brook Lamprey 22
Golden Shiner 19
Bluegill 13
Eastern Mudminnow 11
American Eel 7
Pirate Perch 3
Spottail Shiner 3
Brown Bullhead 2
Chain Pickerel 2
Mummichog 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Eastern Painted Turtle
Northern Watersnake
Southern Leopard Frog

Crayfish:
Orconectes limosus

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 38
Optioservus Riffle Beetle 12
Psephenus Water Penny 11
Maccaffertium March Brown And Cahill Mayfly 11
Chironomidae Non-Biting Midge 6
Parachaetocladius Non-Biting Midge 5
Prosimulium Black Fly 5
Hexatoma Crane Fly 4
Stenacron Mayfly 3
Rheotanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 2
Chloroperlidae Green Stonefly 2
Dubiraphia Riffle Beetle 2
Thienemanniella Non-Biting Midges 1
Cryptochironomus Non-Biting Midges 1
Rheocricotopus Non-Biting Midges 1
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Musculium Fingernail Clam 1
Heptageniidae Flathead Mayfly 1
Simuliidae Black Fly 1
Gomphidae Clubtail Dragonfly 1
Nyctiophylax 1
Tabanus Biting Horsefly 1
Dineutus Whirlygig Beetle 1
Lumbriculidae Worm 1
Ancyronyx Spider Riffle Beetle 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.