MBSS Site Summary for: PATL-103-R-2009

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site PATL-103-R-2009-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site PATL-103-R-2009-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on Bens Run in the Patapsco River L N Br watershed, 8-digit code: 02130906.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/16/2009 and again in the summer on 7/13/2009.

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 - 4.3 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Poor - 1.7 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 1,138 acres A highly channelized urban stream with concrete banks. An example of a highly channelized urban stream.
Urban Land Use 56.5 %
Agricultural Land Use 18.7 %
Forested Land Use 24.5 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 8/20 (Marginal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 23 meters 		7/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 58 meters 		7/20 (Marginal)
Shading 75 %
Embeddedness 65 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 65%. This is relatively high, and may exclude some biota.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 21.4 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 8.8 mg/L
pH (lab) 8.23
Conductivity 426 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		1859.1 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.7636 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 6 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blue Ridge Sculpin 199
Blacknose Dace 126
Longnose Dace 44
American Eel 5
Central Stoneroller 5
Creek Chub 4
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Eastern American Toad
Northern Green Frog
Northern Two-Lined Salamander
Wood Frog

Crayfish:
Orconectes virilis

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Barberry
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Multiflora Rose
Oriental Bittersweet
Privet
Wineberry
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 80
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 8
Sympotthastia Non-Biting Midges 4
Lumbriculidae Worm 4
Antocha Crane Fly 4
Paraphaenocladius Non-Biting Midges 3
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 2
Chimarra Fingernet Caddisfly 2
Enchytraeidae Aquatic Worm 2
Stenelmis Beetle 2
Simulium Black Fly 1
Diamesa Bloodworm 1
Neophylax Caddisfly 1
Glossosoma Little Black Caddisfly 1
Tipula Crane Fly 1
Phaenopsectra Non-Biting Midges 1
Ceratopsyche 1
Tvetenia 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.