MBSS Site Summary for: LPAX-401-R-2000

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site LPAX-401-R-2000-08_10 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site LPAX-401-R-2000-08_11 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site LPAX-401-R-2000-09_01 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site LPAX-401-R-2000-09_02 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site LPAX-401-R-2000-09_03 (Opens in a new window)

Located on LITTLE PATUXENT R in the Little Patuxent River watershed, 8-digit code: 02131105.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/16/2000 and again in the summer on 9/18/2000.

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 Good - 4.0 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Poor - 1.6 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 93,828 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 18.5 %
Agricultural Land Use 39 %
Forested Land Use 40.8 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 18/20 (Optimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 16/20 (Optimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 19/20 (Optimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 70 meters 		18/20 (Optimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 60 meters 		17/20 (Optimal)
Shading 75 %
Embeddedness 42 %
Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Optimal' at this location.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 18.8 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 9.6 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.69
Conductivity 390 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		1260 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 2.9 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 22 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Fallfish 536
Tessellated Darter 186
Satinfin Shiner 87
Sea Lamprey 73
White Sucker 73
American Eel 56
Swallowtail Shiner 47
Redbreast Sunfish 41
Green Sunfish 30
River Chub 20
Smallmouth Bass 13
Bluegill 8
Common Shiner 8
Spottail Shiner 5
Cutlip Minnow 4
Longnose Dace 4
Northern Hogsucker 4
Pumpkinseed 4
Yellow Bullhead 3
Blacknose Dace 1
Eastern Mudminnow 1
Redfin Pickerel 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Eastern Cricket Frog
Eastern Snapping Turtle
Pickerel Frog

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
No exotic plants noted.
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Cricotopus/Orthocladius Midge 38
Rheocricotopus Non-Biting Midges 32
Orthocladiinae A Non-Biting Midges 16
Simulium Black Fly 10
Cricotopus Non-Biting Midges 6
Hydrobaenus Midge 6
Thienemanniella Non-Biting Midges 4
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 3
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 2
Rheosmittia 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.