MBSS Site Summary for: LPAX-294-X-2012

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site LPAX-294-X-2012_Mid-point_Downstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site LPAX-294-X-2012_Mid-point_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 4/2/2012 and again in the summer on 6/25/2012.

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 - 1.3 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 1,144 acres A highly channelized urban stream with concrete banks. An example of a highly channelized urban stream.
Urban Land Use 74.5 %
Agricultural Land Use 4.7 %
Forested Land Use 17.8 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 7/20 (Marginal)
Epifaunal Substrate 5/20 (Poor)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 47 meters 		11/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 30 meters 		6/20 (Marginal)
Shading 75 %
Embeddedness 85 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 85%. This is relatively high, and may exclude some biota.


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 12 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blacknose Dace 88
Green Sunfish 75
Longnose Dace 48
Creek Chub 43
Rosyside Dace 34
Tessellated Darter 33
Swallowtail Shiner 20
White Sucker 4
American Eel 1
Bluegill 1
Pumpkinseed 1
Redbreast Sunfish 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Northern Green Frog

Crayfish:
Orconectes virilis

Exotic Plants:
Crown Vetch
Garlic Mustard
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Mile-A-Minute
Multiflora Rose
Paper Mulberry
Shrub Honeysuckle
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 38
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 29
Simulium Black Fly 16
Orthocladiinae Midge 14
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 9
Hydrobaenus Midge 2
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 2
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 2
Potthastia Non-Biting Midges 1
Thienemanniella Non-Biting Midges 1
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Chaetocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Cricotopus Non-Biting Midges 1
Neophylax Caddisfly 1
HYDROPSYCHIDAE Common Netspinner Caddisfly 1
Antocha Crane Fly 1
EMPIDIDAE Dance Fly 1
Crangonyx Amphipod 1
Clinocera Aquatic Dance Fly 1
NAIDIDAE Aquatic Worm 1
SIMULIIDAE Black 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.