MBSS Site Summary for: MPAX-229-A-2011

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site MPAX-229-A-2011-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site MPAX-229-A-2011-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on HIGHLAND LAKE UT in the Middle Patuxent River watershed, 8-digit code: 02131106.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/8/2011 and again in the summer on 7/27/2011.

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 Fair - 3.7 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Fair - 3.3 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
(Hint: Screen readers will announce definitions; mouse users can hover over dotted text.)
Catchment area 1,299 acres A highly channelized urban stream with concrete banks. An example of a highly channelized urban stream.
Urban Land Use 30.9 %
Agricultural Land Use 30.1 %
Forested Land Use 35.8 %


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 16/20 (Optimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 52 meters 		14/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 23 meters 		13/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 80 %
Embeddedness 30 %


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 7.31
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		617.5 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 2.182 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 11 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blacknose Dace 225
Swallowtail Shiner 97
Rosyside Dace 85
White Sucker 66
Tessellated Darter 65
Creek Chub 16
Fallfish 10
Redbreast Sunfish 6
Cutlip Minnow 3
Longnose Dace 3
Bluegill 2
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Northern Two-Lined Salamander

Crayfish:
Orconectes limosus

Exotic Plants:
Garlic Mustard
Japanese Stiltgrass
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Prosimulium Black Fly 26
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 15
Maccaffertium March Brown And Cahill Mayfly 12
Neophylax Caddisfly 8
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 7
Chimarra Fingernet Caddisfly 6
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 4
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 4
Optioservus Riffle Beetle 3
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 3
Sympotthastia Non-Biting Midges 3
Thienemanniella Non-Biting Midges 3
Orthocladiinae Midge 3
Antocha Crane Fly 3
Ameletus Combmouthed Minnow Mayfly 2
Eurylophella Mayfly 2
Nigronia Megaloptera (Dark Fishfly) 2
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 2
Oulimnius Riffle Beetle 2
Potthastia Non-Biting Midges 1
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 1
Corynoneura Non-Biting Midges 1
DIAMESINAE Non-Biting Midges 1
Hydrobaenus Midge 1
Diplectrona Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Diamesa Bloodworm 1
Hexatoma Crane Fly 1
Tipula Crane Fly 1
Sphaerium Fingernail Clam 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.