MBSS Site Summary for: CH-S-294-236-97


Located on SWANSON CR in the Patuxent River lower watershed, 8-digit code: 02131101.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/24/1997 and again in the summer on 6/5/1997.

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 Good - 4.3 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Good - 4.4 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 3,740 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 5.1 %
Agricultural Land Use 25.5 %
Forested Land Use 69.3 %


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 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = meters 		14/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality 16/20 (Optimal)
Shading 65 %
Embeddedness 20 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 14.7 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 9.8 mg/L
pH (lab) 6.85
Conductivity 82 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		152.5 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 2.5 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 13 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blacknose Dace 103
Rosyside Dace 76
Fallfish 34
Tessellated Darter 33
Least Brook Lamprey 21
Eastern Mudminnow 10
Golden Shiner 10
Tadpole Madtom 9
American Eel 7
Pumpkinseed 4
Sea Lamprey 4
White Sucker 3
Creek Chubsucker 2
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Eastern Cricket Frog
Northern Green Frog
Northern Two-Lined Salamander

Crayfish:
Orconectes limosus

Exotic Plants:
No exotic plants noted.
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 18
Acerpenna Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 18
Haploperla Green Stonefly 15
Prosimulium Black Fly 9
Simulium Black Fly 9
Hexatoma Crane Fly 5
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 3
Tipula Crane Fly 2
Leuctra  Rolled-Winged Stonefly 2
Trissopelopia Non-Biting Midges 2
Oulimnius Riffle Beetle 2
Anchytarsus Beetle 1
Bezzia Biting Midge 1
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 1
Cricotopus/Orthocladius Midge 1
Nemouridae Nemourid Stonefly 1
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 1
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 1
Paratanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 1
Rheocricotopus Non-Biting Midges 1
Cultus 1
Hemerodromia Tiny Fly 1
Eccoptura Yellow Stone 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.