MBSS Site Summary for: STMA-202-R-2000

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site STMA-202-R-2000-01 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site STMA-202-R-2000-02 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site STMA-202-R-2000-03 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site STMA-202-R-2000-04 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site STMA-202-R-2000-05 (Opens in a new window)

Located on ST MARY'S RIVER in the St. Mary's River watershed, 8-digit code: 02140103.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/3/2000 and again in the summer on 8/25/2000.

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 Fair - 3.9 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 3,029 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 5.6 %
Agricultural Land Use 20.8 %
Forested Land Use 73 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 18/20 (Optimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 9/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 75 meters 		18/20 (Optimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 0 meters 		0/20 (Poor)
Shading 55 %
Embeddedness 85 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 85%. This is relatively high, and may exclude some biota.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 22.3 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 5.2 mg/L
pH (lab) 6.23
Conductivity 50 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		92.5 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 8.9 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
American Eel 11
Redbreast Sunfish 11
Chain Pickerel 3
Creek Chubsucker 3
Bluegill 2
Largemouth Bass 1
Tessellated Darter 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Northern Green Frog
Pickerel 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
Cricotopus/Orthocladius Midge 33
Labrundinia Non-Biting Midges 12
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 10
Prostoma Freshwater Nemertean (Ribbon Worm) 7
Rheosmittia Non-Biting Midges 7
Prosimulium Black Fly 6
Nanocladius Non-Biting Midges 5
Stegopterna Black Fly 4
Thienemanniella Non-Biting Midges 3
Unniella Non-Biting Midge 3
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 3
Acerpenna Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 2
Conchapelopia Non-Biting Midges 2
Oxyethira Microcaddisfly 2
Sphaerium Fingernail Clam 1
Simulium Black Fly 1
Nyctiophylax 1
Palaemonetes 1
Menetus Air Breathing Freshwater Snail 1
Enallagma Narrow-Winged Damselfly 1
Crangonyctidae Scud 1
Saldidae Shore Bug 1
Ferrissia Small Air-Breathing Freshwater Limpets 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.