MBSS Site Summary for: LPAX-408-R-2000

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site LPAX-408-R-2000-13_14 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site LPAX-408-R-2000-13_15 (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 4/3/2000 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 - 5.0 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Fair - 3.3 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 83,759 acres Cows standing in a stream at a site with high agricultural land use. Cows survey the sampling procedure at this extreme example of a highly agriculturalized site.
Urban Land Use 18.1 %
Agricultural Land Use 41.6 %
Forested Land Use 38.8 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 16/20 (Optimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 19/20 (Optimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 60 meters 		18/20 (Optimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 40 meters 		17/20 (Optimal)
Shading 60 %
Embeddedness 45 %
Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Optimal' at this location.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 18 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 7.6 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.26
Conductivity 400 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		1354 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 2.7 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
Common Shiner 415
Tessellated Darter 257
Fallfish 167
Swallowtail Shiner 164
Green Sunfish 81
White Sucker 77
Satinfin Shiner 74
Northern Hogsucker 72
American Eel 38
Longnose Dace 37
Sea Lamprey 35
Cutlip Minnow 11
Smallmouth Bass 10
Rosyface Shiner 7
Redbreast Sunfish 6
River Chub 4
Eastern Mudminnow 2
Eastern Mosquitofish 1
Fathead Minnow 1
Largemouth Bass 1
Least Brook Lamprey 1
Margined Madtom 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Northern Green Frog
Pickerel Frog

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Honeysuckle
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Cricotopus/Orthocladius Midge 27
Saetheria 21
Simulium Black Fly 12
Clinocera Aquatic Dance Fly 8
Corbicula Basket Clam 7
Gordiidae Horsehair Worm 4
Rheocricotopus Non-Biting Midges 4
Hydrobaenus Midge 4
Enchytraeidae Aquatic Worm 3
Naididae Aquatic Worm 3
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 2
Hemerodromia Tiny Fly 2
Lumbriculidae Worm 1
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 1
Paratanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 1
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 1
Thienemanniella Non-Biting Midges 1
Macronychus Riffle Beetle 1
Physa Air-Breathing Freshwater Snail 1
Crangonyx Amphipod 1
Diamesa Bloodworm 1
Ormosia Cranefly 1
Isotomurus Elongate-Bodied Springtail 1
Heptageniidae Flathead Mayfly 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.