MBSS Site Summary for: LPAX-290-X-2016

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site LPAX-290-X-2016_Midpoint looking downstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site LPAX-290-X-2016_Midpoint looking 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 3/4/2016 and again in the summer on 6/1/2016.

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 - 1.7 / 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 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 7/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 55 meters 		11/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 25 meters 		11/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 45 %
Embeddedness 100 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 100%. This is very high, and may adversely affect biotic communities.


Stream Water Quality:
No water quality measurements available for this site.

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 9 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blacknose Dace 110
Green Sunfish 49
Creek Chub 31
Rosyside Dace 24
Longnose Dace 17
Tessellated Darter 6
Swallowtail Shiner 5
Yellow Bullhead 3
American Eel 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Northern Green Frog

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

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
Hydrobaenus Midge 27
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 24
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 13
Cricotopus Non-Biting Midges 6
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 3
Ablabesmyia Non-Biting Midge 3
Paratanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 3
Saetheria 3
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 3
Thienemanniella Non-Biting Midges 2
Crangonyx Amphipod 2
Corbicula Basket Clam 2
Orthocladiinae Midge 2
Tipula Crane Fly 2
Prostoma Freshwater Nemertean (Ribbon Worm) 1
Argia Narrow-Winged Damselfly 1
Antocha Crane Fly 1
Tubificidae Aquatic Worm 1
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 1
Tanypodinae Non-Biting Midges 1
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 1
Corynoneura Non-Biting Midges 1
Thienemannimyia Group Non-Biting Midges 1
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 1
Dubiraphia Riffle Beetle 1
Macronychus Riffle Beetle 1
Ancyronyx Spider Riffle Beetle 1
Lumbriculidae Worm 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.