MBSS Site Summary for: HO-N-038-204-97


Located on DORSEY BR TO LITTLE PATUXENT R in the Little Patuxent River watershed, 8-digit code: 02131105.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/5/1997 and again in the summer on 7/21/1997.

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 - 2.0 / 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 1,097 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 5.8 %
Agricultural Land Use 73.5 %
Forested Land Use 20.7 %


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 16/20 (Optimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 8/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = meters 		14/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality 9/20 (Marginal)
Shading 90 %
Embeddedness 30 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 20.6 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 7.3 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.39
Conductivity 26 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		1336 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 3 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 7 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blacknose Dace 115
Tessellated Darter 40
Creek Chub 25
Eastern Mudminnow 24
Longnose Dace 21
White Sucker 6
Rosyside Dace 5
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Eastern Snapping Turtle
Northern Two-Lined Salamander
Pickerel Frog

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 49
Orthocladiinae A Non-Biting Midges 11
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 8
Clinocera Aquatic Dance Fly 6
Antocha Crane Fly 5
Sympotthastia Non-Biting Midges 5
Optioservus Riffle Beetle 4
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 4
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 3
Diamesa Bloodworm 3
Conchapelopia Non-Biting Midges 2
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 2
Chimarra Fingernet Caddisfly 1
Stenelmis Beetle 1
Probezzia Biting Midges 1
Simuliidae Black Fly 1
Nemouridae Nemourid Stonefly 1
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Diplectrona Net-Spinning 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.