MBSS Site Summary for: BRIG-312-R-2017

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site BRIG-312-R-2017-MidpointLookingDownstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site BRIG-312-R-2017-MidpointLookingUpstream (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 3/21/2017 and again in the summer on 7/12/2017.

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 - 4.3 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Good - 4.3 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 19,846 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 7 %
Agricultural Land Use 49.3 %
Forested Land Use 40.9 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 10/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 17/20 (Optimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 50 meters 		13/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 25 meters 		18/20 (Optimal)
Shading 75 %
Embeddedness 50 %


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 7.16
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		319.6 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.3239 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 17 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Fallfish 93
White Sucker 93
Central Stoneroller 82
Blacknose Dace 70
Longnose Dace 69
Tessellated Darter 62
River Chub 38
Northern Hogsucker 31
Margined Madtom 16
Shield Darter 9
Brown Trout 5
Creek Chub 3
Largemouth Bass 3
Common Shiner 1
Green Sunfish 1
Rosyside Dace 1
Smallmouth Bass 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
No amphibians and reptiles noted.

Crayfish:
Orconectes virilis

Exotic Plants:
English Ivy
Garlic Mustard
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Mile-A-Minute
Multiflora Rose
Privet
Wineberry
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
CHEUMATOPSYCHE Net-Spinning Caddisfly 21
ISONYCHIA Slate Drake Mayfly 12
PROSTOIA Spring Stonefly 12
MACCAFFERTIUM March Brown And Cahill Mayfly 8
STROPHOPTERYX Early Brown Stonefly 6
HYDROPSYCHE Net-Spinning Caddisfly 5
OPTIOSERVUS Riffle Beetle 5
ANTOCHA Crane Fly 4
CHIMARRA Fingernet Caddisfly 3
CRICOTOPUS Non-Biting Midges 3
ORTHOCLADIUS Non-Biting Midges 3
DICRANOTA Hairy-Eyed Cranefly 3
TANYTARSUS Non-Biting Midges 2
FERRISSIA Small Air-Breathing Freshwater Limpets 2
POLYPEDILUM Non-Biting Midges 2
RHEOCRICOTOPUS Non-Biting Midges 1
PARAMETRIOCNEMUS Non-Biting Midges 1
EUKIEFFERIELLA Non-Biting Midges 1
MICROTENDIPES Non-Biting Midges 1
ACRONEURIA Golden Stoneflies 1
ORTHOCLADIINAE Midge 1
CORYDALUS Dobsonfly 1
STENELMIS Beetle 1
NEOPHYLAX Caddisfly 1
ALLOCAPNIA Small Winter Stonefly 1
ANCYRONYX Spider Riffle Beetle 1
TVETENIA Non-Biting Midges 1
OULIMNIUS Riffle Beetle 1
EPHEMERELLA Sulphur Mayfly 1
HEMERODROMIA Tiny Fly 1
PSYCHOMYIA Trumpet-Net Caddisfly 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.