MBSS Site Summary for: MPAX-411-R-2016

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site MPAX-411-R-2016_Midpoint looking downstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site MPAX-411-R-2016_Midpoint looking upstream (Opens in a new window)

Located on Middle Patuxent River in the Middle Patuxent River watershed, 8-digit code: 02131106.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/8/2016 and again in the summer on 9/15/2016.

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 - 3.7 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 30,832 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 19.9 %
Agricultural Land Use 45.8 %
Forested Land Use 30.5 %


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 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 17/20 (Optimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 58 meters 		16/20 (Optimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 22 meters 		15/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 35 %
Embeddedness 10 %
Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Optimal' at this location.


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 7.61
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		986.9 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.1253 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 21 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Fallfish 235
River Chub 81
Tessellated Darter 75
Longnose Dace 70
Margined Madtom 35
Green Sunfish 32
Common Shiner 25
American Eel 21
Smallmouth Bass 13
Redbreast Sunfish 10
Cutlip Minnow 9
Northern Hogsucker 7
Rosyface Shiner 7
Swallowtail Shiner 7
White Sucker 5
Blacknose Dace 4
Rosyside Dace 3
Creek Chub 2
Rock Bass 2
Bluegill 1
Satinfin Shiner 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Pickerel Frog
Wood Frog

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Autumn Olive
Garlic Mustard
Japanese Barberry
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Multiflora Rose
Wineberry
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 24
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 14
Prostoia Spring Stonefly 11
Heterocloeon 10
Nemouridae Nemourid Stonefly 9
Strophopteryx Early Brown Stonefly 7
Chimarra Fingernet Caddisfly 6
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 6
Prosimulium Black Fly 4
Clinocera Aquatic Dance Fly 3
Tubificidae Aquatic Worm 3
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 3
Maccaffertium March Brown And Cahill Mayfly 3
Thienemannimyia Group Non-Biting Midges 3
Antocha Crane Fly 2
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 2
Paratanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 1
Eurylophella Mayfly 1
Corbicula Basket Clam 1
Helichus Beetle 1
Neophylax Caddisfly 1
Synorthocladius 1
Tipula Crane Fly 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.