MBSS Site Summary for: CA-S-198-107-97


Located on COCKTOWN CR UT1 in the Patuxent River lower watershed, 8-digit code: 02131101.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/18/1997 and again in the summer on 6/12/1997.

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 Poor - 2.3 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Good - 4.1 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 376 acres A highly channelized urban stream with concrete banks. An example of a highly channelized urban stream.
Urban Land Use 18 %
Agricultural Land Use 15.6 %
Forested Land Use 66.1 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 5/20 (Poor)
Epifaunal Substrate 6/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 6/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = meters 		7/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality 10/20 (Marginal)
Shading 86 %
Embeddedness 41 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 18.4 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 8.4 mg/L
pH (lab) 6.98
Conductivity 188 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		535.2 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 2.7 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 4 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blacknose Dace 93
Eastern Mudminnow 15
Bluegill 3
Tessellated Darter 3
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Eastern Box Turtle
Eastern Snapping Turtle
Northern Copperhead
Northern Green Frog
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
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 41
Perlidae Common Stonefly 7
Stegopterna Black Fly 6
Conchapelopia Non-Biting Midges 5
Amphipoda Scud 5
Chloroperlidae Green Stonefly 3
Clioperla Green-Winged Stonefly 3
Cricotopus/Orthocladius Midge 2
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 2
Thienemanniella Non-Biting Midges 2
Ironoquia Northern Caddisfly 2
Prostoia Spring Stonefly 1
Collembola Springtail 1
Acerpenna Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 1
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 1
Rheotanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 1
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 1
Tubificidae Aquatic Worm 1
Cryptochironomus Non-Biting Midges 1
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 1
Dolophilodes Medium Evening Sedge Caddisfly 1
Neophylax Caddisfly 1
Ameletus Combmouthed Minnow Mayfly 1
Tipula Crane Fly 1
Chrysops Deerfly 1
Stenochironomus European Non-Biting Midge 1
Sphaerium Fingernail Clam 1
Pycnopsyche Great Autumn Brown Sedge 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.