MBSS Site Summary for: LPAX-311-R-2014

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site LPAX-311-R-2014-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site LPAX-311-R-2014-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on LITTLE PATUXENT RIVER in the Little Patuxent River watershed, 8-digit code: 02131105.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/11/2014 and again in the summer on 8/19/2014.

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 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 19,696 acres A highly channelized urban stream with concrete banks. An example of a highly channelized urban stream.
Urban Land Use 58 %
Agricultural Land Use 12.9 %
Forested Land Use 26 %


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 4/20 (Poor)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 16/20 (Optimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 45 meters 		11/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 35 meters 		11/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 65 %
Embeddedness 90 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 90%. This is relatively high, and may exclude some biota.


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 7.76
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		1254.9 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 0.6779 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 18 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Tessellated Darter 60
Fallfish 39
Satinfin Shiner 26
Bluegill 23
Green Sunfish 12
Northern Hogsucker 10
Swallowtail Shiner 10
American Eel 5
Redbreast Sunfish 4
Creek Chub 3
White Sucker 3
Longnose Dace 2
Margined Madtom 2
Yellow Bullhead 2
Channel Catfish 1
Common Carp 1
Cutlip Minnow 1
Pumpkinseed 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Northern Two-Lined Salamander

Crayfish:
Orconectes limosus
Orconectes virilis

Exotic Plants:
English Ivy
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Hops
Japanese Stiltgrass
Lesser Celandine (Fig Buttercup)
Multiflora Rose
Privet
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 35
Hydrobaenus Midge 29
Gammarus Amphipod 13
Taeniopteryx Winter Stonefly 10
Tubificidae Aquatic Worm 6
Rheotanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 3
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 2
Cryptochironomus Non-Biting Midges 1
Micropsectra Non-Biting Midges 1
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 1
Antocha Crane Fly 1
Chimarra Fingernet Caddisfly 1
Girardia Freshwater Flatworm 1
Maccaffertium March Brown And Cahill Mayfly 1
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 1
Fossaria Air Breathing Freshwater Snail 1
Nemouridae Nemourid Stonefly 1
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Rheocricotopus Non-Biting Midges 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.