MBSS Site Summary for: MO-P-059-320-97


Located on MAINSTEM PATUXENT R in the Brighton Dam watershed, 8-digit code: 02131108.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/20/1997 and again in the summer on 7/16/1997.

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 Fair - 3.3 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 17,005 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 0.8 %
Agricultural Land Use 63.9 %
Forested Land Use 34.7 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = meters 		16/20 (Optimal)
Riffle Quality 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 45 %
Embeddedness 40 %


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 22.9 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 8.4 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.12
Conductivity 116 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		289 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.5 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 16 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
White Sucker 115
Fallfish 49
Common Shiner 35
Creek Chub 31
Tessellated Darter 25
Central Stoneroller 21
Brown Trout 10
Largemouth Bass 8
Rosyside Dace 8
Smallmouth Bass 8
Bluegill 7
River Chub 6
Northern Hogsucker 5
Green Sunfish 3
Pumpkinseed 3
Cutlip Minnow 2
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Eastern American Toad
Eastern Painted Turtle
Northern Green Frog
Northern Spring Peeper
Pickerel Frog

Crayfish:
Orconectes virilis

Exotic Plants:
No exotic plants noted.
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 20
Cricotopus/Orthocladius Midge 14
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 10
Prostoia Spring Stonefly 5
Orthocladiinae A Non-Biting Midges 4
Rheotanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 4
Sympotthastia Non-Biting Midges 2
Clinocera Aquatic Dance Fly 2
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 2
Simuliidae Black Fly 2
Simulium Black Fly 1
Drunella Blue-Winged Olive Mayfly 1
Ameletus Combmouthed Minnow Mayfly 1
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 1
Acroneuria Golden Stoneflies 1
Brillia Non-Biting Midges 1
Conchapelopia Non-Biting Midges 1
Prosimulium Black Fly 1
Trissopelopia Non-Biting Midges 1
Baetidae Small Minnow Mayfly 1
Hemerodromia Tiny Fly 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.