MBSS Site Summary for: HO-P-098-224-97


Located on LITTLE PATUXENT R UT5 in the Little Patuxent River watershed, 8-digit code: 02131105.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/10/1997 and again in the summer on 7/2/1997.

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 442 acres A highly channelized urban stream with concrete banks. An example of a highly channelized urban stream.
Urban Land Use 30.2 %
Agricultural Land Use 28.5 %
Forested Land Use 36.2 %


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 10/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = meters 		16/20 (Optimal)
Riffle Quality 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 85 %
Embeddedness 21 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 18.5 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 8.4 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.03
Conductivity 458 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		1176 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 3.2 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 6 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blacknose Dace 590
White Sucker 119
Creek Chub 24
Rosyside Dace 4
American Eel 2
Redbreast Sunfish 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Northern Two-Lined Salamander
Northern Watersnake
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 17
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 10
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 8
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 7
Conchapelopia Non-Biting Midges 7
Sympotthastia Non-Biting Midges 5
Orthocladiinae A Non-Biting Midges 4
Hydrobaenus Midge 4
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 3
Prosimulium Black Fly 2
Enchytraeidae Aquatic Worm 2
Diplectrona Net-Spinning Caddisfly 2
Trissopelopia Non-Biting Midges 2
Leptophlebia Pronggilled Mayfly 1
Lumbriculidae Worm 1
Naididae Aquatic Worm 1
Gerris 1
Pseudosuccinea Air Breathing Freshwater Snail 1
Clinocera Aquatic Dance Fly 1
Diamesa Bloodworm 1
Calopteryx Damselfly 1
Lype Net Tube Caddisfly 1
Brillia Non-Biting Midges 1
Corynoneura Non-Biting Midges 1
Phaenopsectra Non-Biting Midges 1
Polypedilum 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.