MBSS Site Summary for: LPAX-115-R-2000

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site LPAX-115-R-2000-06_13 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site LPAX-115-R-2000-06_14 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site LPAX-115-R-2000-06_15 (Opens in a new window)

Located on LITTLE PATUXENT R UT4 in the Little Patuxent River watershed, 8-digit code: 02131105.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/13/2000 and again in the summer on 7/7/2000.

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 Fair - 3.0 / 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 1,054 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 1.2 %
Agricultural Land Use 60.3 %
Forested Land Use 38.3 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 16/20 (Optimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 9/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 67 meters 		8/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 24 meters 		14/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 28 %
Embeddedness 24 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 19.4 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 7.4 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.37
Conductivity 230 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		907.3 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 14 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Swallowtail Shiner 557
Blacknose Dace 288
Tessellated Darter 228
Longnose Dace 129
White Sucker 98
Rosyside Dace 70
Redbreast Sunfish 59
Pumpkinseed 54
Creek Chub 15
Margined Madtom 7
Fallfish 6
Golden Shiner 4
American Eel 3
Bluegill 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Eastern Box Turtle
Northern Green Frog
Northern Two-Lined Salamander
Northern Watersnake

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Canada Thistle
Mile-A-Minute
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Cricotopus/Orthocladius Midge 37
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 21
Sympotthastia Non-Biting Midges 16
Thienemanniella Non-Biting Midges 6
Chimarra Fingernet Caddisfly 5
Tubificidae Aquatic Worm 4
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 4
Orthocladiinae A Non-Biting Midges 4
Rheocricotopus Non-Biting Midges 2
Neophylax Caddisfly 2
Antocha Crane Fly 1
Stilobezzia 1
Clinocera Aquatic Dance Fly 1
Naididae Aquatic Worm 1
Girardia Freshwater Flatworm 1
Gordiidae Horsehair Worm 1
Stenacron Mayfly 1
Conchapelopia Non-Biting Midges 1
Dicrotendipes Non-Biting Midges 1
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 1
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 1
Dubiraphia Riffle Beetle 1
Macronychus Riffle Beetle 1
Optioservus Riffle Beetle 1
Ephemerella Sulphur 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.