MBSS Site Summary for: LPAX-287-X-2014

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site LPAX-287-X-2014-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site LPAX-287-X-2014-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on RED HILL BRANCH in the Little Patuxent River watershed, 8-digit code: 02131105.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/6/2014 and again in the summer on 6/17/2014.

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 - 1.7 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 493 acres A highly channelized urban stream with concrete banks. An example of a highly channelized urban stream.
Urban Land Use 79.6 %
Agricultural Land Use 1.7 %
Forested Land Use 16.6 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 10/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 57 meters 		11/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 21 meters 		12/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 55 %
Embeddedness 15 %


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 7.36
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		1237.7 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 0.5699 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 11 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blacknose Dace 490
Tessellated Darter 106
Green Sunfish 62
Mummichog 55
Creek Chub 28
Longnose Dace 22
Swallowtail Shiner 5
American Eel 2
Bluegill 1
Lepomis Hybrid 1
White Sucker 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Northern Green Frog
Northern Two-Lined Salamander

Crayfish:
Orconectes virilis

Exotic Plants:
Garlic Mustard
Japanese Barberry
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Mile-A-Minute
Multiflora Rose
Oriental Bittersweet
Privet
Wineberry
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 62
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 21
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 10
Orthocladiinae Midge 5
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 4
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 2
Phaenopsectra Non-Biting Midges 1
Rheotanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 1
Thienemanniella Non-Biting Midges 1
Ancyronyx Spider Riffle Beetle 1
Taeniopteryx Winter Stonefly 1
Argia Narrow-Winged Damselfly 1
Dicrotendipes Non-Biting Midges 1
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 1
Crangonyx Amphipod 1
Antocha Crane Fly 1
Chimarra Fingernet Caddisfly 1
Hydrobaenus Midge 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.