MBSS Site Summary for: BRIG-304-R-2009

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site BRIG-304-R-2009-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site BRIG-304-R-2009-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on Patuxent River in the Brighton Dam watershed, 8-digit code: 02131108.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/10/2009 and again in the summer on 6/30/2009.

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 - 4.0 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Fair - 3.7 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 19,805 acres Cows standing in a stream at a site with high agricultural land use. Cows survey the sampling procedure at this extreme example of a highly agriculturalized site.
Urban Land Use 1.6 %
Agricultural Land Use 58.9 %
Forested Land Use 39 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 17/20 (Optimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 17/20 (Optimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 18/20 (Optimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 46 meters 		14/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 72 meters 		18/20 (Optimal)
Shading 60 %
Embeddedness 35 %
Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Optimal' at this location.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 17.5 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 8.5 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.2
Conductivity 156 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		339.2 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.1607 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 15 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Central Stoneroller 70
Longnose Dace 18
Blacknose Dace 17
Tessellated Darter 16
Margined Madtom 12
River Chub 12
Fallfish 10
White Sucker 5
Common Shiner 4
Creek Chub 3
Bluntnose Minnow 2
Brown Trout 2
Largemouth Bass 2
Rainbow Trout 2
Rosyside Dace 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Gray Treefrog
Northern Two-Lined Salamander

Crayfish:
Orconectes virilis

Exotic Plants:
Garlic Mustard
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Mile-A-Minute
Multiflora Rose
Oriental Bittersweet
Privet
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 20
Chimarra Fingernet Caddisfly 14
Nemouridae Nemourid Stonefly 9
Prosimulium Black Fly 8
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 8
Optioservus Riffle Beetle 7
Strophopteryx Early Brown Stonefly 6
Prostoia Spring Stonefly 5
Rhyacophila Free-Living Caddisfly 4
Neophylax Caddisfly 3
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 3
Psephenus Water Penny 1
Potthastia Non-Biting Midges 1
Thienemannimyia Group Non-Biting Midges 1
Antocha Crane Fly 1
Prostoma Freshwater Nemertean (Ribbon Worm) 1
Ceratopsyche 1
Goera 1
Stygobromus Amphipod 1
Stenelmis Beetle 1
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Oulimnius Riffle Beetle 1
Capniidae Small Winter Stonefly 1
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 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.