MBSS Site Summary for: LPAX-204-R-2000

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site LPAX-204-R-2000-07_15 (Opens in a new window)

Located on LITTLE PATUXENT R in the Little Patuxent River watershed, 8-digit code: 02131105.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/15/2000 and again in the summer on 7/5/2000.

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 - 3.0 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Poor - 2.0 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 7,174 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 15 %
Agricultural Land Use 47.7 %
Forested Land Use 37.1 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 5/20 (Poor)
Epifaunal Substrate 4/20 (Poor)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 50 meters 		11/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 70 meters 		15/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 90 %
Embeddedness 50 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 21.8 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 7.7 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.52
Conductivity 310 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		1359 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 14 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Swallowtail Shiner 51
Tessellated Darter 50
White Sucker 39
Fallfish 24
Fathead Minnow 19
Creek Chub 13
Redbreast Sunfish 12
Satinfin Shiner 7
Blacknose Dace 4
American Eel 2
Cutlip Minnow 2
Longnose Dace 2
Largemouth Bass 1
Pumpkinseed 1
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
Rheosmittia Non-Biting Midges 20
Rheocricotopus Non-Biting Midges 16
Cricotopus/Orthocladius Midge 13
Cricotopus Non-Biting Midges 7
Orthocladiinae A Non-Biting Midges 7
Paratanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 5
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 4
Nanocladius Non-Biting Midges 3
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 3
Brillia Non-Biting Midges 3
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 3
Prostoia Spring Stonefly 2
Sympotthastia Non-Biting Midges 2
Macronychus Riffle Beetle 2
Conchapelopia Non-Biting Midges 2
Simulium Black Fly 2
Hexatoma Crane Fly 2
Eurylophella Mayfly 2
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 2
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Helichus Beetle 1
Diamesa Bloodworm 1
Paracapnia Small Winter Stonefly 1
Trissopelopia 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.