MBSS Site Summary for: PATL-103-X-2013

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site PATL-103-X-2013-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site PATL-103-X-2013-2 (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 3/4/2013 and again in the summer on 6/5/2013.

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 Fair - 3.0 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 731 acres A highly channelized urban stream with concrete banks. An example of a highly channelized urban stream.
Urban Land Use 54.8 %
Agricultural Land Use 4.6 %
Forested Land Use 39.1 %


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 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 65 meters 		13/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 34 meters 		14/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 80 %
Embeddedness 15 %


Stream Water Quality:
No water quality measurements available for this site.

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 9 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blacknose Dace 106
White Sucker 22
Creek Chub 19
Redbreast Sunfish 12
American Eel 3
Cutlip Minnow 3
Rosyside Dace 2
Blue Ridge Sculpin 1
Longnose Dace 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Northern Green Frog

Crayfish:
Cambarus bartonii bartonii
Orconectes virilis

Exotic Plants:
English Ivy
Garlic Mustard
Japanese Barberry
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Mile-A-Minute
Multiflora Rose
Oriental Bittersweet
Porcelainberry
Tree Of Heaven
Wavyleaf Basketgrass
Wineberry
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 39
Chimarra Fingernet Caddisfly 18
Diamesa Bloodworm 13
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 11
Neophylax Caddisfly 6
Sympotthastia Non-Biting Midges 5
Tipula Crane Fly 4
Antocha Crane Fly 3
Prosimulium Black Fly 2
Simulium Black Fly 2
Glossosoma Little Black Caddisfly 2
Diplectrona Net-Spinning Caddisfly 2
Macronychus Riffle Beetle 1
Prostoia Spring Stonefly 1
LUMBRICULIDAE Worm 1
Crangonyx Amphipod 1
Gammarus Amphipod 1
Corydalus Dobsonfly 1
Strophopteryx Early Brown Stonefly 1
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Parametriocnemus 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.