MBSS Site Summary for: BRIG-308-R-2000

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site BRIG-308-R-2000-01_0799 (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 Fair - 3.7 / 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 5,204 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 2 %
Agricultural Land Use 52.9 %
Forested Land Use 44.9 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 17/20 (Optimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 62 meters 		13/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 38 meters 		14/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 90 %
Embeddedness 25 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 19.4 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 8.4 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.31
Conductivity 190 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		309.2 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 16 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blacknose Dace 372
Rosyside Dace 185
Creek Chub 82
Tessellated Darter 65
Central Stoneroller 46
White Sucker 36
Brown Trout 30
Common Shiner 22
Longnose Dace 22
River Chub 8
Margined Madtom 7
Largemouth Bass 5
Bluegill 2
Cutlip Minnow 2
Fallfish 2
Northern Hogsucker 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Northern Dusky Salamander
Northern Green Frog
Northern Red Salamander
Northern Two-Lined Salamander

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

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

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Prosimulium Black Fly 64
Ameletus Combmouthed Minnow Mayfly 17
Strophopteryx Early Brown Stonefly 8
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 6
Neophylax Caddisfly 5
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 4
Ephemerellidae Spiny Crawler Mayfly 3
Tipula Crane Fly 2
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 1
Optioservus Riffle Beetle 1
Allocapnia Small Winter Stonefly 1
Prostoia Spring Stonefly 1
Glossosoma Little Black Caddisfly 1
Stilocladius 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.