MBSS Site Summary for: HO-P-058-126-97


Located on BENSON BR in the Middle Patuxent River watershed, 8-digit code: 02131106.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/10/1997 and again in the summer on 6/11/1997.

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 Fair - 3.3 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Good - 4.0 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 1,218 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 1.6 %
Agricultural Land Use 54.8 %
Forested Land Use 42.6 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 16/20 (Optimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = meters 		14/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality 16/20 (Optimal)
Shading 90 %
Embeddedness 25 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 16.1 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 10.6 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.38
Conductivity 144 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		533 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.8 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 13 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Rosyside Dace 115
Blacknose Dace 90
Tessellated Darter 57
Longnose Dace 52
Cutlip Minnow 13
American Eel 7
Creek Chub 7
Bluegill 4
Fallfish 4
Common Shiner 1
Largemouth Bass 1
Smallmouth Bass 1
White Sucker 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Eastern Box Turtle
Northern Green Frog

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 30
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 13
Cricotopus/Orthocladius Midge 5
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 5
Anchytarsus Beetle 5
Oulimnius Riffle Beetle 5
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 5
Naididae Aquatic Worm 4
Antocha Crane Fly 3
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 3
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 2
Conchapelopia Non-Biting Midges 2
Optioservus Riffle Beetle 2
Serratella Mayfly 2
Rheotanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 2
Baetidae Small Minnow Mayfly 1
Hemerodromia Tiny Fly 1
Polycentropus Tube Maker Caddisfly 1
Pagastia 1
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 1
Pisidium Freshwater Pea (Pill) Clam 1
Acroneuria Golden Stoneflies 1
Glossosoma Little Black Caddisfly 1
Simulium Black Fly 1
Paraleptophlebia Blue Quill Mayfly 1
Neophylax 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.