MBSS Site Summary for: PATL-106-X-2011

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site PATL-106-X-2011-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site PATL-106-X-2011-2 (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 3/17/2011 and again in the summer on 6/14/2011.

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 - 4.0 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Poor - 1.3 / 5.0

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 16/20 (Optimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 72 meters 		12/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 45 meters 		16/20 (Optimal)
Shading 85 %
Embeddedness 0 %


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 8.04
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		1684.3 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 2.1048 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 18 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blue Ridge Sculpin 57
Blacknose Dace 44
Longnose Dace 43
River Chub 31
Creek Chub 29
Green Sunfish 19
White Sucker 19
Northern Hogsucker 7
American Eel 6
Bluntnose Minnow 4
Common Shiner 4
Redbreast Sunfish 4
Rosyside Dace 4
Margined Madtom 3
Cutlip Minnow 2
Pumpkinseed 2
Central Stoneroller 1
Swallowtail Shiner 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Eastern American Toad
Northern Water Snake

Crayfish:
Orconectes virilis

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

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Sympotthastia Non-Biting Midges 37
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 31
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 11
Hydrobaenus Midge 6
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 6
Antocha Crane Fly 5
Chimarra Fingernet Caddisfly 4
Diplectrona Net-Spinning Caddisfly 2
Orthocladiinae Midge 1
Tipula Crane Fly 1
Stenelmis Beetle 1
Neophylax Caddisfly 1
Tanypodinae Non-Biting Midges 1
Hemerodromia Tiny Fly 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.