MBSS Site Summary for: LPAX-294-X-2016

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site LPAX-294-X-2016_Midpoint looking downstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site LPAX-294-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 6/2/2016.

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 - 2.0 / 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 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 9/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 13 meters 		9/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 62 meters 		13/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 60 %
Embeddedness 30 %


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 109
Green Sunfish 32
Tessellated Darter 28
Longnose Dace 22
Creek Chub 16
Rosyside Dace 11
Swallowtail Shiner 6
Yellow Bullhead 4
American Eel 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Northern Green Frog
Northern Two-Lined Salamander

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Garlic Mustard
Japanese Barberry
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Mile-A-Minute
Multiflora Rose
Wineberry
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 44
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 20
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 14
Calopteryx Damselfly 5
Glossosoma Little Black Caddisfly 5
Hydrobaenus Midge 5
Orthocladiinae Midge 3
Antocha Crane Fly 3
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 3
Corynoneura Non-Biting Midges 2
Paratanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 2
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 2
Thienemanniella Non-Biting Midges 2
Sympotthastia Non-Biting Midges 1
Ironoquia Northern Caddisfly 1
Limnephilidae Northern Casemaker Caddisfly 1
Macronychus Riffle Beetle 1
Chironomini Non-Biting Midge 1
Saetheria 1
Crangonyx Amphipod 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.