MBSS Site Summary for: LPAX-290-X-2015

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site LPAX-290-X-2015_Midpoint-downstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site LPAX-290-X-2015_Midpoint-upstream (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 4/27/2015 and again in the summer on 6/1/2015.

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 1,339 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 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 10/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 43 meters 		12/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 34 meters 		13/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 65 %
Embeddedness 50 %


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 7.82
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		1574.7 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.9532 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 16 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Bluegill 137
Blacknose Dace 110
Green Sunfish 105
Rosyside Dace 52
Creek Chub 37
Redbreast Sunfish 14
Swallowtail Shiner 12
Golden Shiner 9
Tessellated Darter 7
Yellow Bullhead 7
White Sucker 5
Longnose Dace 2
American Eel 1
Bluntnose Minnow 1
Largemouth Bass 1
Pumpkinseed 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Cope's Gray Treefrog
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 57
Cladotanytarsus Non-Biting Midge 15
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 8
Naididae Aquatic Worm 7
Cricotopus Non-Biting Midges 5
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 4
Saetheria 3
Crangonyx Amphipod 2
Calopteryx Damselfly 2
Limnophyes Non-Biting Midge 2
Chironomus Non-Biting Midges 2
Dicrotendipes Non-Biting Midges 2
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 2
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 1
Thienemannimyia Group Non-Biting Midges 1
Micropsectra Non-Biting Midges 1
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 1
Ablabesmyia Non-Biting Midge 1
Chironomini Non-Biting Midge 1
Orthocladiinae Midge 1
Enallagma Narrow-Winged Damselfly 1
Hyalella Amphipod 1
Corbicula Basket Clam 1
Stenelmis Beetle 1
Gomphus Clubtail Dragonfly 1
Antocha Crane Fly 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.