MBSS Site Summary for: HO-P-214-311-97


Located on MAINSTEM PATUXENT R in the Brighton Dam watershed, 8-digit code: 02131108.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/20/1997 and again in the summer on 7/23/1997.

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 - 4.7 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Fair - 3.7 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
(Hint: Screen readers will announce definitions; mouse users can hover over dotted text.)
Catchment area 4,990 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 2.1 %
Agricultural Land Use 52.4 %
Forested Land Use 45 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = meters 		14/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 90 %
Embeddedness 20 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 20.3 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 6.3 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.04
Conductivity 146 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		291.4 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.7 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 16 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Longnose Dace 160
Blacknose Dace 126
Brown Trout 123
Central Stoneroller 85
White Sucker 74
Creek Chub 53
Rosyside Dace 30
Fallfish 26
Tessellated Darter 13
Cutlip Minnow 10
Margined Madtom 9
River Chub 9
Northern Hogsucker 7
Common Shiner 4
Brown Bullhead 3
Smallmouth Bass 2
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Eastern American Toad
Eastern Red-Backed Salamander
Northern Dusky Salamander
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
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 28
Simulium Black Fly 16
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 10
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 6
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 6
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 5
Clinocera Aquatic Dance Fly 4
Naididae Aquatic Worm 3
Neophylax Caddisfly 2
Brillia Non-Biting Midges 2
Leuctra  Rolled-Winged Stonefly 2
Baetidae Small Minnow Mayfly 2
Allocapnia Small Winter Stonefly 1
Lumbriculidae Worm 1
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 1
Pseudorthocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Rheotanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 1
Stempellinella Non-Biting Midges 1
Trissopelopia Non-Biting Midges 1
Ameletus Combmouthed Minnow Mayfly 1
Antocha Crane Fly 1
Rhyacophila Free-Living Caddisfly 1
Nemouridae Nemourid Stonefly 1
Drunella Blue-Winged Olive Mayfly 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.