MBSS Site Summary for: HO-P-132-312-97


Located on MAINSTEM PATUXENT R in the Brighton Dam watershed, 8-digit code: 02131108.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/13/1997 and again in the summer on 7/15/1997.

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 - 4.3 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Good - 4.3 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 19,846 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 0.7 %
Agricultural Land Use 62.7 %
Forested Land Use 35.8 %


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 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = meters 		17/20 (Optimal)
Riffle Quality 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 65 %
Embeddedness 15 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 20.7 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 8.5 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.19
Conductivity 106 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		255.8 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 0.8 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 22 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
White Sucker 160
Fallfish 121
Tessellated Darter 81
Largemouth Bass 58
Central Stoneroller 44
Longnose Dace 36
River Chub 31
Northern Hogsucker 18
Blacknose Dace 15
Brown Trout 13
Common Shiner 13
Creek Chub 8
Margined Madtom 5
Smallmouth Bass 5
Yellow Bullhead 3
Bluegill 2
Cutlip Minnow 2
Rainbow Trout 2
Swallowtail Shiner 2
Fathead Minnow 1
Green Sunfish 1
Spottail Shiner 1
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
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 78
Prosimulium Black Fly 11
Cricotopus/Orthocladius Midge 7
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 6
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 4
Prostoia Spring Stonefly 3
Thienemannimyia Non-Biting Midges 2
Antocha Crane Fly 2
Tipula Crane Fly 1
Epeorus Mayfly 1
Paraleptophlebia Blue Quill Mayfly 1
Optioservus Riffle Beetle 1
Oulimnius Riffle Beetle 1
Isonychia Slate Drake Mayfly 1
Brillia Non-Biting Midges 1
Thienemanniella 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.