MBSS Site Summary for: PATL-501-X-2011

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site PATL-501-X-2011-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site PATL-501-X-2011-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on PATAPSCO RIVER in the Patapsco River L N Br watershed, 8-digit code: 02130906.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/28/2011 and again in the summer on 6/15/2011.

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 Fair - 3.7 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Poor - 2.7 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 195,371 acres Cows standing in a stream at a site with high agricultural land use. Cows survey the sampling procedure at this extreme example of a highly agriculturalized site.
Urban Land Use 8.4 %
Agricultural Land Use 57.9 %
Forested Land Use 31.3 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 17/20 (Optimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 75 meters 		11/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 40 meters 		16/20 (Optimal)
Shading 20 %
Embeddedness 30 %


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 7.95
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		855.8 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.7753 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 28 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
American Eel 341
Swallowtail Shiner 316
Redbreast Sunfish 241
Bluntnose Minnow 110
Northern Hogsucker 95
Spottail Shiner 83
River Chub 62
Common Shiner 43
Spotfin Shiner 43
White Sucker 33
Tessellated Darter 22
Cutlip Minnow 14
Fallfish 12
Rock Bass 12
Central Stoneroller 11
Banded Killifish 9
Margined Madtom 9
Sea Lamprey 8
Smallmouth Bass 8
Satinfin Shiner 5
Yellow Bullhead 2
Black Crappie 1
Blacknose Dace 1
Bluegill 1
Creek Chub 1
Green Sunfish 1
Longnose Dace 1
Pumpkinseed 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Northern Water Snake
Pickerel Frog

Crayfish:
Orconectes virilis

Exotic Plants:
Garlic Mustard
Japanese Hops
Japanese Stiltgrass
Mile-A-Minute
Multiflora Rose
Oriental Bittersweet
Wineberry
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Gammarus Amphipod 34
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 16
Stenelmis Beetle 9
Hydrobaenus Midge 6
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 5
Microcylloepus Riffle Beetle 4
Chimarra Fingernet Caddisfly 4
Maccaffertium March Brown And Cahill Mayfly 4
Orthocladiinae Midge 3
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 3
Sympotthastia Non-Biting Midges 3
Macronychus Riffle Beetle 3
Rheotanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 2
Leptoxis Freshwater Snail 2
Lepidostoma Little Brown Sedge Caddisfly 2
Clinocera Aquatic Dance Fly 2
Prosimulium Black Fly 1
Strophopteryx Early Brown Stonefly 1
Teloganopsis Mayfly 1
Diplectrona Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
COENAGRIONIDAE Narrowwinged Damselfly 1
Oulimnius Riffle Beetle 1
Ancyronyx Spider Riffle Beetle 1
Psephenus Water Penny 1
LUMBRICULIDAE Worm 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.