MBSS Site Summary for: PATL-103-X-2014

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site PATL-103-X-2014-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site PATL-103-X-2014-2 (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 3/5/2014 and again in the summer on 6/24/2014.

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 - 1.3 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Fair - 3.3 / 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 57.4 %
Agricultural Land Use 4.5 %
Forested Land Use 37 %


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 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 23 meters 		16/20 (Optimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 55 meters 		13/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 90 %
Embeddedness 75 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 75%. This is relatively high, and may exclude some biota.


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 5 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blacknose Dace 259
Creek Chub 6
American Eel 5
Longnose Dace 3
River Chub 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Pickerel Frog

Crayfish:
Cambarus bartonii bartonii
Orconectes virilis

Exotic Plants:
Garlic Mustard
Japanese Barberry
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Multiflora Rose
Wavyleaf Basketgrass
Wineberry
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 34
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 14
Glossosoma Little Black Caddisfly 12
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 10
Neophylax Caddisfly 5
Antocha Crane Fly 4
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 4
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 4
Chimarra Fingernet Caddisfly 2
Sympotthastia Non-Biting Midges 2
Orthocladiinae Midge 2
Ameletus Combmouthed Minnow Mayfly 2
Simulium Black Fly 2
Synorthocladius 1
Corydalus Dobsonfly 1
Dolophilodes Medium Evening Sedge Caddisfly 1
Lype Net Tube Caddisfly 1
Diplectrona Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 1
Thienemanniella Non-Biting Midges 1
Capniidae Small Winter Stonefly 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.