MBSS Site Summary for: PATL-112-X-2017

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site PATL-112-X-2017-MidpointLookingDownstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site PATL-112-X-2017-MidpointLookingUpstream (Opens in a new window)

Located on Davis Branch in the Patapsco River L N Br watershed, 8-digit code: 02130906.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/6/2017 and again in the summer on 7/10/2017.

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 Fair - 3.7 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 1,094 acres A highly channelized urban stream with concrete banks. An example of a highly channelized urban stream.
Urban Land Use 39.6 %
Agricultural Land Use 36.2 %
Forested Land Use 23.4 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 8/20 (Marginal)
Epifaunal Substrate 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 13/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 32 meters 		13/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 58 meters 		12/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 85 %
Embeddedness 60 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 60%. 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 16 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blue Ridge Sculpin 207
Longnose Dace 100
Blacknose Dace 99
Largemouth Bass 17
White Sucker 13
Bluegill 12
Tessellated Darter 11
American Eel 7
Central Stoneroller 4
Cutlip Minnow 4
Creek Chub 3
Rosyside Dace 3
Common Shiner 2
Margined Madtom 1
River Chub 1
Rock Bass 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Eastern Box Turtle
Northern Green Frog

Crayfish:
Cambarus bartonii bartonii
Orconectes virilis

Exotic Plants:
Daylily(Common)
Garlic Mustard
Japanese Barberry
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Multiflora Rose
Oriental Bittersweet
Wavyleaf Basketgrass
Wineberry
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
CHEUMATOPSYCHE Net-Spinning Caddisfly 34
CHIMARRA Fingernet Caddisfly 16
HYDROPSYCHE Net-Spinning Caddisfly 10
DIAMESA Bloodworm 9
DIAMESINAE Non-Biting Midges 6
RHEOTANYTARSUS Non-Biting Midges 5
PROSIMULIUM Black Fly 5
TVETENIA Non-Biting Midges 3
PROSTOIA Spring Stonefly 3
EPHEMERELLA Sulphur Mayfly 3
THIENEMANNIELLA Non-Biting Midges 2
PARAMETRIOCNEMUS Non-Biting Midges 2
MACCAFFERTIUM March Brown And Cahill Mayfly 2
DOLOPHILODES Medium Evening Sedge Caddisfly 2
HYDROBAENUS Midge 1
ORTHOCLADIINAE Midge 1
NEOPHYLAX Caddisfly 1
HYDROPSYCHIDAE Common Netspinner Caddisfly 1
NAIDIDAE Aquatic Worm 1
STENELMIS Beetle 1
PARATANYTARSUS Non-Biting Midges 1
POLYPEDILUM Non-Biting Midges 1
CARDIOCLADIUS Non-Biting Midge 1
BRILLIA Non-Biting Midges 1
CORYNONEURA Non-Biting Midges 1
THIENEMANNIMYIA GROUP Non-Biting Midges 1
DIPLECTRONA Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
ACERPENNA Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 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.