MBSS Site Summary for: PATL-106-X-2013

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site PATL-106-X-2013-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site PATL-106-X-2013-2 (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 3/5/2013 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 - 2.7 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Poor - 2.3 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 1,844 acres A highly channelized urban stream with concrete banks. An example of a highly channelized urban stream.
Urban Land Use 68.7 %
Agricultural Land Use 0.6 %
Forested Land Use 28.5 %


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 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 64 meters 		13/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 38 meters 		17/20 (Optimal)
Shading 85 %
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 14 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Longnose Dace 44
Blacknose Dace 27
American Eel 11
Blue Ridge Sculpin 6
Green Sunfish 6
Creek Chub 5
White Sucker 4
Bluegill 3
Banded Killifish 1
Common Shiner 1
Cutlip Minnow 1
Redbreast Sunfish 1
River Chub 1
Yellow Bullhead 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Pickerel Frog

Crayfish:
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.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 26
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 19
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 7
Parametriocnemus Non-Biting Midges 6
Antocha Crane Fly 5
Tipula Crane Fly 4
Diplectrona Net-Spinning Caddisfly 3
Sympotthastia Non-Biting Midges 3
Diamesa Bloodworm 3
LUMBRICULIDAE Worm 3
Chimarra Fingernet Caddisfly 2
Caecidotea Isopod 2
Hydrobaenus Midge 1
Neoplasta 1
Anchytarsus Beetle 1
Stenelmis Beetle 1
Corydalus Dobsonfly 1
Strophopteryx Early Brown Stonefly 1
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 1
Microcylloepus Riffle Beetle 1
Optioservus Riffle Beetle 1
Boyeria Spotted Darner Dragonfly 1
Corynoneura Non-Biting Midges 1
Potthastia 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.