MBSS Site Summary for: PATL-317-R-2000

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site PATL-317-R-2000-07_03 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site PATL-317-R-2000-07_04 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site PATL-317-R-2000-07_05 (Opens in a new window)

Located on DEEP RUN in the Patapsco River L N Br watershed, 8-digit code: 02130906.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/15/2000 and again in the summer on 7/6/2000.

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 - 4.7 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Poor - 1.9 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 5,194 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 23.1 %
Agricultural Land Use 33 %
Forested Land Use 43.1 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 7/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 16/20 (Optimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 65 meters 		15/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 14 meters 		13/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 63 %
Embeddedness 51 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 51%. This is relatively high, and may exclude some biota.


Stream Water Quality:
Water temperature 20.5 ° C
Dissolved oxygen (DO) 7.6 mg/L
pH (lab) 7.58
Conductivity 380 µmho/cm
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		1325 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 2.7 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 19 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Swallowtail Shiner 161
Blacknose Dace 89
Blue Ridge Sculpin 74
Tessellated Darter 41
Green Sunfish 30
Central Stoneroller 28
White Sucker 27
Rosyside Dace 25
Longnose Dace 18
Creek Chub 16
Golden Shiner 13
Pumpkinseed 11
Fallfish 10
Eastern Mosquitofish 8
Common Shiner 6
American Eel 3
Eastern Mudminnow 2
Bluegill 1
Northern Hogsucker 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Northern Green Frog
Northern Two-Lined Salamander

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Canada Thistle
Japanese Honeysuckle
Mile-A-Minute
Multiflora Rose
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Orthocladiinae A Non-Biting Midges 58
Cricotopus Non-Biting Midges 18
Cricotopus/Orthocladius Midge 14
Tubificidae Aquatic Worm 8
Thienemanniella Non-Biting Midges 3
Stenelmis Beetle 2
Simulium Black Fly 1
Brillia Non-Biting Midges 1
Optioservus Riffle Beetle 1
Polypedilum 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.