MBSS Site Summary for: STMA-306-R-2000

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site STMA-306-R-2000-01 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site STMA-306-R-2000-02 (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 8/23/2000.

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 - 4.0 / 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 5,588 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 8 %
Agricultural Land Use 22.2 %
Forested Land Use 69.4 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 16/20 (Optimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 70 meters 		18/20 (Optimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 10 meters 		11/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 90 %
Embeddedness 80 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 80%. This is relatively high, and may exclude some biota.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 21.6 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 6 mg/L
pH (lab) 6.45
Conductivity 50 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		159 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 5.9 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 9 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
American Eel 27
Redbreast Sunfish 14
Tessellated Darter 9
Chain Pickerel 3
Golden Shiner 3
Least Brook Lamprey 3
Creek Chubsucker 2
Swallowtail Shiner 2
Tadpole Madtom 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
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
Isoperla Stripetail Stonefly 48
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 17
Acerpenna Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 15
Dubiraphia Riffle Beetle 7
Rheocricotopus Non-Biting Midges 7
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 5
Conchapelopia Non-Biting Midges 4
Corynoneura Non-Biting Midges 2
Paratanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 2
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 1
Trissopelopia Non-Biting Midges 1
Optioservus Riffle Beetle 1
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 1
Probezzia Biting Midges 1
Prosimulium Black Fly 1
Caecidotea Isopod 1
Triaenodes Long-Horned Caddisfly 1
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Ablabesmyia Non-Biting Midge 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.