MBSS Site Summary for: PATL-106-X-2010

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site PATL-106-X-2010-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site PATL-106-X-2010-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on Sucker Branch in the Patapsco River L N Br watershed, 8-digit code: 02130906.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/10/2010 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 Fair - 3.7 / 5.0
Benthic IBI N R

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 1,675 acres A highly channelized urban stream with concrete banks. An example of a highly channelized urban stream.
Urban Land Use 52.3 %
Agricultural Land Use 17.5 %
Forested Land Use 29.2 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 54 meters 		11/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 42 meters 		14/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 83 %
Embeddedness 50 %


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 8.175
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		1802.8 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 0.3515 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 11 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blacknose Dace 96
Blue Ridge Sculpin 62
Longnose Dace 47
Creek Chub 33
Green Sunfish 25
American Eel 11
Common Shiner 2
Margined Madtom 2
Rosyside Dace 2
Central Stoneroller 1
Cutlip Minnow 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
No amphibians and reptiles noted.

Crayfish:
Orconectes virilis

Exotic Plants:
Garlic Mustard
Japanese Barberry
Japanese Stiltgrass
Multiflora Rose
Norway Maple
Oriental Bittersweet
Tree Of Heaven
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.