MBSS Site Summary for: HO-N-039-114-97


Located on LITTLE PATUXENT R UT4 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 7/29/1997.

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 - 4.0 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Fair - 3.3 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 472 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 17.9 %
Agricultural Land Use 32.9 %
Forested Land Use 48 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 7/20 (Marginal)
Epifaunal Substrate 16/20 (Optimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 7/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = meters 		7/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality 6/20 (Marginal)
Shading 80 %
Embeddedness 15 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 23.2 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 8.1 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.34
Conductivity 326 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		605 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 4.2 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
Rosyside Dace 157
Blacknose Dace 83
Creek Chub 52
White Sucker 16
Longnose Dace 8
Tessellated Darter 4
Eastern Mudminnow 3
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Northern Green Frog
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 32
Prosimulium Black Fly 28
Diamesa Bloodworm 9
Sympotthastia Non-Biting Midges 5
Zavrelimyia Non-Biting Midges 3
Oulimnius Riffle Beetle 3
Clinocera Aquatic Dance Fly 3
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 3
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 2
Stenelmis Beetle 2
Ceratopogonidae Biting Midge 1
Nemouridae Nemourid Stonefly 1
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 1
Larsia Non-Biting Midge 1
Conchapelopia Non-Biting Midges 1
Paraleptophlebia Blue Quill Mayfly 1
Neophylax Caddisfly 1
Antocha Crane Fly 1
Tipula Crane Fly 1
Dicranota Hairy-Eyed Cranefly 1
Eurylophella Mayfly 1
Nigronia Megaloptera (Dark Fishfly) 1
Acerpenna Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 1
Limnodrilus Worm 1
Lumbriculidae Worm 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.