MBSS Site Summary for: LPAX-294-X-2017

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site LPAX-294-X-2017-MidpointLookingDownstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site LPAX-294-X-2017-MidpointLookingUpstream (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 3/16/2017 and again in the summer on 8/8/2017.

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 - 2.7 / 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 10/20 (Marginal)
Epifaunal Substrate 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 30 meters 		11/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 45 meters 		11/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 50 %
Embeddedness 50 %


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 11 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blacknose Dace 145
Creek Chub 110
Longnose Dace 68
Green Sunfish 66
Tessellated Darter 49
Rosyside Dace 22
White Sucker 10
Swallowtail Shiner 9
Eastern Mosquitofish 2
Yellow Bullhead 2
Bluegill 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Northern Green Frog

Crayfish:
Orconectes virilis

Exotic Plants:
Autumn Olive
Burning Bush
Callery Pear
Garlic Mustard
Japanese Barberry
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Lesser Celandine (Fig Buttercup)
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 61
CHEUMATOPSYCHE Net-Spinning Caddisfly 16
ORTHOCLADIINAE Midge 12
HYDROPSYCHE Net-Spinning Caddisfly 7
DIAMESA Bloodworm 5
HYDROBAENUS Midge 3
MICROTENDIPES Non-Biting Midges 3
THIENEMANNIELLA Non-Biting Midges 3
CLINOCERA Aquatic Dance Fly 2
ANTOCHA Crane Fly 2
PARAMETRIOCNEMUS Non-Biting Midges 2
TANYTARSINI Non-Biting Midges 1
TANYTARSUS Non-Biting Midges 1
CRYPTOCHIRONOMUS Non-Biting Midges 1
DIAMESINAE Non-Biting Midges 1
CHIMARRA Fingernet Caddisfly 1
GLOSSOSOMA Little Black Caddisfly 1
NAIDIDAE Aquatic 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.