MBSS Site Summary for: LPAX-116-R-2000

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site LPAX-116-R-2000-10_01 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site LPAX-116-R-2000-10_02 (Opens in a new window)

Located on LITTLE PATUXENT R UT1 in the Little Patuxent River watershed, 8-digit code: 02131105.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/20/2000 and again in the summer on 7/10/2000.

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 - 3.3 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Poor - 1.3 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 1,198 acres A highly channelized urban stream with concrete banks. An example of a highly channelized urban stream.
Urban Land Use 41.9 %
Agricultural Land Use 17 %
Forested Land Use 39.1 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 16/20 (Optimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 16/20 (Optimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 50 meters 		13/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 40 meters 		16/20 (Optimal)
Shading 90 %
Embeddedness 35 %
Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Optimal' at this location.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 20.9 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 7.5 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.77
Conductivity 540 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		1707 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 3.5 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
Blacknose Dace 310
Rosyside Dace 88
Tessellated Darter 41
Creek Chub 34
Swallowtail Shiner 19
White Sucker 18
Fallfish 16
Longnose Dace 8
Redbreast Sunfish 4
American Eel 2
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Northern Two-Lined Salamander

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Honeysuckle
Mile-A-Minute
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Orthocladiinae A Non-Biting Midges 52
Cricotopus/Orthocladius Midge 36
Clinocera Aquatic Dance Fly 13
Stenelmis Beetle 4
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 4
Diamesa Bloodworm 4
Sympotthastia Non-Biting Midges 3
Optioservus Riffle Beetle 2
Oulimnius Riffle Beetle 1
Nigronia Megaloptera (Dark Fishfly) 1
Prosimulium Black Fly 1
Stegopterna Black Fly 1
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Diplectrona Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Conchapelopia 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.