MBSS Site Summary for: PATL-502-X-2012

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site PATL-502-X-2012-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site PATL-502-X-2012-2 (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 3/14/2012 and again in the summer on 7/25/2012.

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 192,607 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 8.2 %
Agricultural Land Use 58.5 %
Forested Land Use 30.9 %


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

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 17/20 (Optimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 17/20 (Optimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 18/20 (Optimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 37 meters 		13/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 75 meters 		20/20 (Optimal)
Shading 45 %
Embeddedness 35 %
Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Optimal' at this location.


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 8.01
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		974.9 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.6862 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 22 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
River Chub 58
Swallowtail Shiner 49
Tessellated Darter 32
Common Shiner 29
American Eel 24
Spotfin Shiner 24
Redbreast Sunfish 15
Northern Hogsucker 14
Satinfin Shiner 9
Longnose Dace 8
Cutlip Minnow 7
Rosyface Shiner 7
White Sucker 6
Creek Chub 5
Bluntnose Minnow 4
Rock Bass 3
Yellow Bullhead 3
Banded Killifish 2
Margined Madtom 2
Blacknose Dace 1
Golden Shiner 1
Spottail Shiner 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Eastern American Toad

Crayfish:
Orconectes virilis

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Stiltgrass
Multiflora Rose
Oriental Bittersweet
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Cricotopus Non-Biting Midges 24
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 24
Diamesa Bloodworm 13
Orthocladiinae Midge 8
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 3
Cardiocladius Non-Biting Midge 3
Maccaffertium March Brown And Cahill Mayfly 3
Perlesta 3
Rheotanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 3
Thienemanniella Non-Biting Midges 3
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 2
Gammarus Amphipod 2
Clinocera Aquatic Dance Fly 2
NAIDIDAE Aquatic Worm 2
Stenelmis Beetle 2
Simulium Black Fly 2
Hydrobaenus Midge 2
Strophopteryx Early Brown Stonefly 2
Chimarra Fingernet Caddisfly 2
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 2
Rheocricotopus Non-Biting Midges 2
AMPHIPODA Scud 1
Isonychia Slate Drake Mayfly 1
Ancyronyx Spider Riffle Beetle 1
EPHEMERELLIDAE Spiny Crawler Mayfly 1
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 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.