MBSS Site Summary for: HO-P-228-119-97


Located on PATUXENT R UT4 in the Rocky Gorge Dam watershed, 8-digit code: 02131107.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/25/1997 and again in the summer on 6/23/1997.

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 Fair - 3.7 / 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 681 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 0.1 %
Agricultural Land Use 32.9 %
Forested Land Use 65.9 %


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 16/20 (Optimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = meters 		12/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 90 %
Embeddedness 30 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 19 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 9.6 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.69
Conductivity 164 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		796.7 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.5 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 10 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blue Ridge Sculpin 25
Longnose Dace 24
Blacknose Dace 17
Rosyside Dace 4
White Sucker 2
Yellow Bullhead 2
Bluegill 1
Creek Chub 1
Fallfish 1
Tessellated Darter 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Eastern American Toad
Northern Green Frog
Northern Red Salamander
Northern Two-Lined Salamander
Pickerel Frog

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
No exotic plants noted.
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 46
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 6
Cricotopus/Orthocladius Midge 5
Ameletus Combmouthed Minnow Mayfly 3
Chimarra Fingernet Caddisfly 2
Chelifera Aquatic Dance Fly 2
Prosimulium Black Fly 2
Simulium Black Fly 2
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 2
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 2
Prostoia Spring Stonefly 2
Isoperla Stripetail Stonefly 2
Agapetus Tiny Black Short-Horned Caddisfly 2
Acerpenna Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 2
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 1
Dubiraphia Riffle Beetle 1
Diplectrona Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Neophylax Caddisfly 1
Clinocera Aquatic Dance Fly 1
Acroneuria Golden Stoneflies 1
Tipula Crane Fly 1
Leuctra  Rolled-Winged Stonefly 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.