MBSS Site Summary for: PATL-103-X-2010

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site PATL-103-X-2010-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site PATL-103-X-2010-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on Thistle Run in the Patapsco River L N Br watershed, 8-digit code: 02130906.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/9/2010 and again in the summer on 6/7/2010.

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 Poor - 2.3 / 5.0
Benthic IBI N R

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 702 acres A highly channelized urban stream with concrete banks. An example of a highly channelized urban stream.
Urban Land Use 47 %
Agricultural Land Use 15.8 %
Forested Land Use 37.3 %


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 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 40 meters 		11/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 45 meters 		9/20 (Marginal)
Shading 95 %
Embeddedness 40 %


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 8.485
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		1772.3 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 0.4895 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 7 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blacknose Dace 227
White Sucker 18
Creek Chub 14
Blue Ridge Sculpin 2
Green Sunfish 2
Longnose Dace 2
Redbreast Sunfish 2
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Northern Green Frog
Northern Water Snake

Crayfish:
Cambarus bartonii bartonii
Orconectes virilis

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

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Benthic data unavailable.
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.