MBSS Site Summary for: BRIG-307-R-2000

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site BRIG-307-R-2000-01_0796 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site BRIG-307-R-2000-02_0797 (Opens in a new window)

Located on PATUXENT R MAINSTEM in the Brighton Dam watershed, 8-digit code: 02131108.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/8/2000 and again in the summer on 8/17/2000.

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 Fair - 3.7 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Good - 5.0 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
(Hint: Screen readers will announce definitions; mouse users can hover over dotted text.)
Catchment area 10,392 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 1.3 %
Agricultural Land Use 62 %
Forested Land Use 36.5 %


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 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 16/20 (Optimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 65 meters 		18/20 (Optimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 19 meters 		16/20 (Optimal)
Shading 80 %
Embeddedness 30 %
Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Optimal' at this location.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 18.1 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 8.2 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.14
Conductivity 150 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		263.7 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1 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 21 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blacknose Dace 100
Rosyside Dace 81
White Sucker 80
Tessellated Darter 71
Common Shiner 62
Fallfish 24
Central Stoneroller 23
Creek Chub 17
Margined Madtom 15
Largemouth Bass 12
Longnose Dace 10
Brown Trout 9
Northern Hogsucker 9
Gizzard Shad 7
Cutlip Minnow 6
River Chub 6
Bluegill 5
Rainbow Trout 5
Smallmouth Bass 3
Brown Bullhead 2
Redbreast Sunfish 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Eastern American Toad
Fowler's Toad
Northern Two-Lined Salamander
Pickerel Frog
Wood Frog

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Stiltgrass
Mile-A-Minute
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Prostoia Spring Stonefly 25
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 20
Prosimulium Black Fly 14
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 10
Ameletus Combmouthed Minnow Mayfly 7
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 6
Neophylax Caddisfly 4
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 3
Rheosmittia Non-Biting Midges 2
Eurylophella Mayfly 2
Cricotopus/Orthocladius Midge 2
Stegopterna Black Fly 2
Strophopteryx Early Brown Stonefly 2
Clinocera Aquatic Dance Fly 2
Lumbriculidae Worm 2
Psychomyia Trumpet-Net Caddisfly 1
Chimarra Fingernet Caddisfly 1
Antocha Crane Fly 1
Stylogomphus Clubtail Dragonfly 1
Xylotopus Midge 1
Clioperla Green-Winged Stonefly 1
Caenis Mayfly 1
Optioservus Riffle Beetle 1
Ancyronyx Spider Riffle Beetle 1
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Rheocricotopus 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.