MBSS Site Summary for: CR-P-362-310-96


Located on NORTH BR PATAPSCO R in the S Branch Patapsco watershed, 8-digit code: 02130908.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/15/1996 and again in the summer on 8/30/1996.

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 - 4.0 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Poor - 1.7 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 11,807 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 3.7 %
Agricultural Land Use 65.8 %
Forested Land Use 27.4 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = meters 		10/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 85 %
Embeddedness 23 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 19.9 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 7.9 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.29
Conductivity 196 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		567.1 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 2.4 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 18 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blue Ridge Sculpin 187
Central Stoneroller 47
Longnose Dace 43
Bluntnose Minnow 36
White Sucker 13
Bluegill 9
Creek Chub 7
Tessellated Darter 7
Blacknose Dace 3
Cutlip Minnow 2
Northern Hogsucker 2
Satinfin Shiner 2
Swallowtail Shiner 2
Common Shiner 1
Fallfish 1
Redbreast Sunfish 1
Smallmouth Bass 1
Yellow Bullhead 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Northern Green 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
Cricotopus/Orthocladius Midge 3
Clinocera Aquatic Dance Fly 2
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 1
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Microtendipes 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.