MBSS Site Summary for: STMA-218-R-2003

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site STMA-218-R-2003-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site STMA-218-R-2003-2 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site STMA-218-R-2003-3 (Opens in a new window)

Located on JARBOESVILLE RUN in the St. Mary's River watershed, 8-digit code: 02140103.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/13/2003 and again in the summer on 8/26/2003.

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 Good - 4.7 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Fair - 3.3 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 1,461 acres A highly channelized urban stream with concrete banks. An example of a highly channelized urban stream.
Urban Land Use 36 %
Agricultural Land Use 14 %
Forested Land Use 49 %


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 10/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 75 meters 		18/20 (Optimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 0 meters 		0/20 (Poor)
Shading 70 %
Embeddedness 90 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 90%. This is relatively high, and may exclude some biota.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 23.2 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 4.1 mg/L
Dissolved oxygen levels measured in the stream were very low (4.1 mg/L). Many fishes and other aquatic animals cannot tolerate low levels of oxygen in the water.
pH (lab) 6.02
Conductivity 68 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		143.9 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 3.4 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 11 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Eastern Mudminnow 95
Golden Shiner 75
Creek Chubsucker 50
Pirate Perch 26
Redbreast Sunfish 9
American Eel 8
Pumpkinseed 7
Brown Bullhead 6
Chain Pickerel 3
Tadpole Madtom 3
Bluegill 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Honeysuckle
Mile-A-Minute
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Caecidotea Isopod 39
Conchapelopia Non-Biting Midges 8
Musculium Fingernail Clam 7
Stegopterna Black Fly 7
Synurella Amphipod 7
Tubificidae Aquatic Worm 4
Hyalella Amphipod 4
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 3
Lumbriculidae Worm 3
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 3
Thienemanniella Non-Biting Midges 2
Prosimulium Black Fly 2
Helobdella 2
Menetus Air Breathing Freshwater Snail 1
Pseudosuccinea Air Breathing Freshwater Snail 1
Crangonyx Amphipod 1
Ceratopogonidae Biting Midge 1
Berosus 1
Helisoma 1
Aeshnidae Darner Dragonfly 1
Girardia Freshwater Flatworm 1
Ironoquia Northern Caddisfly 1
Dubiraphia Riffle Beetle 1
Ancyronyx Spider Riffle Beetle 1
Nanocladius 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.