MBSS Site Summary for: HO-N-022-104-97


Located on PATUXENT R UT3 in the Patuxent River upper watershed, 8-digit code: 02131104.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/5/1997 and again in the summer on 6/24/1997.

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 Poor - 1.7 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 428 acres A highly channelized urban stream with concrete banks. An example of a highly channelized urban stream.
Urban Land Use 38.1 %
Agricultural Land Use 12.6 %
Forested Land Use 49.3 %


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 7/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = meters 		8/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality 6/20 (Marginal)
Shading 90 %
Embeddedness 15 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 21.8 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 8.9 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.21
Conductivity 492 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		824.9 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 5.8 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 2 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Creek Chub 80
Blacknose Dace 60
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Northern Two-Lined Salamander

Crayfish:
Orconectes virilis

Exotic Plants:
No exotic plants noted.
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Cricotopus/Orthocladius Midge 23
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 18
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 14
Lumbriculidae Worm 9
Prostoma Freshwater Nemertean (Ribbon Worm) 7
Rheocricotopus Non-Biting Midges 4
Diplectrona Net-Spinning Caddisfly 3
Tipula Crane Fly 3
Chelifera Aquatic Dance Fly 2
Ceratopogonidae Biting Midge 2
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 2
Brillia Non-Biting Midges 1
Conchapelopia Non-Biting Midges 1
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Diamesa Bloodworm 1
Antocha Crane Fly 1
Chrysops Deerfly 1
Physa Air-Breathing Freshwater Snail 1
Crangonyx Amphipod 1
Limnephilidae Northern Casemaker Caddisfly 1
Collembola Springtail 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.