MBSS Site Summary for: PATL-501-X-2016

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site PATL-501-X-2016_midpoint looking downstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site PATL-501-X-2016_midpoint looking upstream (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 3/22/2016 and again in the summer on 7/27/2016.

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 Fair - 3.0 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 195,371 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 21.4 %
Agricultural Land Use 37 %
Forested Land Use 37.8 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 6/20 (Marginal)
Epifaunal Substrate 7/20 (Marginal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 11/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 70 meters 		11/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 25 meters 		10/20 (Marginal)
Shading 15 %
Embeddedness 65 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 65%. 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 23 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
American Eel 100
Redbreast Sunfish 89
Bluegill 51
Common Shiner 26
Northern Hogsucker 23
White Sucker 21
River Chub 17
Smallmouth Bass 16
Sea Lamprey 12
Margined Madtom 9
Yellow Bullhead 6
Fallfish 4
Rock Bass 4
Black Crappie 3
Central Stoneroller 3
Cutlip Minnow 3
Yellow Perch 2
Common Carp 1
Green Sunfish 1
Largemouth Bass 1
Pumpkinseed 1
Striped Bass 1
Tessellated Darter 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Northern Green Frog
Northern Water Snake
Pickerel Frog

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Garlic Mustard
Japanese Stiltgrass
Multiflora Rose
Oriental Bittersweet
Wavyleaf Basketgrass
Wineberry
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 28
Gammarus Amphipod 16
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 12
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 6
Psephenus Water Penny 5
Cricotopus Non-Biting Midges 4
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 4
Maccaffertium March Brown And Cahill Mayfly 4
Stenelmis Beetle 4
Orthocladiinae Midge 3
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 2
Simulium Black Fly 2
Hydrobaenus Midge 2
Tubificidae Aquatic Worm 2
Rheotanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 2
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 2
Microcylloepus Riffle Beetle 1
Glossosomatidae Saddlecase Maker Caddisfly 1
Isonychia Slate Drake Mayfly 1
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 1
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 1
Psychomyia Trumpet-Net Caddisfly 1
Sympotthastia Non-Biting Midges 1
Lumbriculidae Worm 1
Antocha Crane Fly 1
Robackia European Non-Biting Midge 1
Chimarra Fingernet Caddisfly 1
Girardia Freshwater Flatworm 1
Prostoma Freshwater Nemertean (Ribbon Worm) 1
Paraphaenocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
Neoplasta 1
Dicrotendipes 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.