MBSS Site Summary for: PATL-501-X-2017

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site PATL-501-X-2017-MidpointLookingDownstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site PATL-501-X-2017-MidpointLookingUpstream (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 3/2/2017 and again in the summer on 6/27/2017.

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 Fair - 3.0 / 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 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 4/20 (Poor)
Epifaunal Substrate 3/20 (Poor)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 68 meters 		6/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 72 meters 		16/20 (Optimal)
Shading 30 %
Embeddedness 75 %
The embeddedness, a measure of silt on the stream bottom, was 75%. 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 25 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Swallowtail Shiner 615
American Eel 89
Redbreast Sunfish 85
Northern Hogsucker 49
Bluntnose Minnow 45
Central Stoneroller 45
White Sucker 29
River Chub 28
Sea Lamprey 27
Common Shiner 23
Banded Killifish 18
Smallmouth Bass 15
Fallfish 14
Margined Madtom 13
Tessellated Darter 13
Cutlip Minnow 9
Yellow Bullhead 9
Quillback 8
Spottail Shiner 5
Longnose Dace 4
Shield Darter 3
Rock Bass 1
Warmouth 1
Satinfin Shiner
Spotfin Shiner
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Northern Water Snake

Crayfish:
Orconectes virilis

Exotic Plants:
English Ivy
Garlic Mustard
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Hops
Japanese Stiltgrass
Multiflora Rose
Oriental Bittersweet
Tree Of Heaven
Wavyleaf Basketgrass
Wineberry
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
ORTHOCLADIUS Non-Biting Midges 40
CHEUMATOPSYCHE Net-Spinning Caddisfly 7
THIENEMANNIELLA Non-Biting Midges 6
TVETENIA Non-Biting Midges 5
PSEPHENUS Water Penny 4
CHIMARRA Fingernet Caddisfly 4
HYDROPSYCHE Net-Spinning Caddisfly 3
RHEOTANYTARSUS Non-Biting Midges 3
MICROCYLLOEPUS Riffle Beetle 3
OPTIOSERVUS Riffle Beetle 2
TANYTARSUS Non-Biting Midges 2
CARDIOCLADIUS Non-Biting Midge 2
CORYNONEURA Non-Biting Midges 2
EUKIEFFERIELLA Non-Biting Midges 2
PERLIDAE Common Stonefly 2
ORTHOCLADIINAE Midge 2
GIRARDIA Freshwater Flatworm 2
NAIDIDAE Aquatic Worm 2
STENELMIS Beetle 1
SIMULIUM Black Fly 1
DIAMESA Bloodworm 1
MACCAFFERTIUM March Brown And Cahill Mayfly 1
SAETHERIA 1
PHYSA Air-Breathing Freshwater Snail 1
GAMMARUS Amphipod 1
POLYPEDILUM Non-Biting Midges 1
LUMBRICULIDAE Worm 1
PSYCHOMYIA Trumpet-Net Caddisfly 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.