MBSS Site Summary for: LPAX-290-X-2014

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site LPAX-290-X-2014-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site LPAX-290-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 6/12/2014.

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 Poor - 2.3 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Poor - 1.0 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 1,339 acres A highly channelized urban stream with concrete banks. An example of a highly channelized urban stream.
Urban Land Use 79.3 %
Agricultural Land Use 2.2 %
Forested Land Use 15.2 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 10/20 (Marginal)
Epifaunal Substrate 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 54 meters 		11/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 28 meters 		12/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 55 %
Embeddedness 65 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 65%. This is relatively high, and may exclude some biota.


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 7.31
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		1393.9 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 0.601 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
Green Sunfish 35
Blacknose Dace 32
Swallowtail Shiner 22
Creek Chub 16
Tessellated Darter 11
Bluegill 10
Longnose Dace 9
Pumpkinseed 8
Yellow Bullhead 6
Redbreast Sunfish 3
Fathead Minnow 2
Rosyside Dace 2
Golden Shiner 1
White Sucker 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Northern Green Frog

Crayfish:
Orconectes virilis

Exotic Plants:
Autumn Olive
Garlic Mustard
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Mile-A-Minute
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 88
Orthocladiinae Midge 9
Paratanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 4
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 4
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 3
Stenelmis Beetle 2
Thienemannimyia Group Non-Biting Midges 2
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 1
Macronychus Riffle Beetle 1
Taeniopteryx Winter Stonefly 1
Calopteryx Damselfly 1
Corbicula Basket Clam 1
Thienemanniella 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.