MBSS Site Summary for: LPAX-294-X-2014

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site LPAX-294-X-2014-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site LPAX-294-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 Fair - 3.0 / 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 1,144 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 9/20 (Marginal)
Epifaunal Substrate 10/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 58 meters 		11/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 23 meters 		13/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 70 %
Embeddedness 25 %


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 7.36
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		1408.6 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 0.6424 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 36
Swallowtail Shiner 29
Green Sunfish 20
Fathead Minnow 16
Tessellated Darter 16
Creek Chub 14
Rosyside Dace 14
Longnose Dace 12
White Sucker 8
Bluegill 1
Lepomis Hybrid 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
Oriental Bittersweet
Wineberry
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 74
Hydrobaenus Midge 10
Orthocladiinae Midge 7
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 7
Paratanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 4
Thienemanniella Non-Biting Midges 3
Thienemannimyia Group Non-Biting Midges 2
Rheotanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 2
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 2
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 2
Clinocera Aquatic Dance Fly 1
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 1
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 1
Limnephilidae Northern Casemaker Caddisfly 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.