MBSS Site Summary for: PATL-502-X-2014

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site PATL-502-X-2014-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site PATL-502-X-2014-2 (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 3/24/2014 and again in the summer on 8/11/2014.

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 - 4.0 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Poor - 2.0 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 192,607 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 21.1 %
Agricultural Land Use 37.5 %
Forested Land Use 37.6 %


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 16/20 (Optimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 18/20 (Optimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 6 meters 		11/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 75 meters 		17/20 (Optimal)
Shading 35 %
Embeddedness 40 %
Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Optimal' at this location.


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 19 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
River Chub 364
Rosyface Shiner 215
Common Shiner 58
American Eel 43
Satinfin Shiner 24
Redbreast Sunfish 21
Tessellated Darter 15
Smallmouth Bass 14
Longnose Dace 13
Spotfin Shiner 12
Cutlip Minnow 11
Central Stoneroller 9
Margined Madtom 6
Northern Hogsucker 5
Bluegill 3
Swallowtail Shiner 3
Rock Bass 2
Sea Lamprey 2
Bluntnose Minnow 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
No amphibians and reptiles noted.

Crayfish:
Orconectes virilis

Exotic Plants:
Canada Thistle
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Knotweed
Japanese Stiltgrass
Multiflora Rose
Oriental Bittersweet
Shrub Honeysuckle
Tree Of Heaven
Wineberry
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 26
Hydrobaenus Midge 16
Gammarus Amphipod 14
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 7
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 6
Maccaffertium March Brown And Cahill Mayfly 5
Orthocladiinae Midge 5
Nanocladius Non-Biting Midges 4
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 4
Strophopteryx Early Brown Stonefly 3
Clinocera Aquatic Dance Fly 2
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 2
Sympotthastia Non-Biting Midges 2
Macronychus Riffle Beetle 1
Psephenus Water Penny 1
Taeniopteryx Winter Stonefly 1
Lumbriculidae Worm 1
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 1
Cricotopus Non-Biting Midges 1
Diamesinae Non-Biting Midges 1
Prosimulium Black Fly 1
Simulium Black Fly 1
Diamesa Bloodworm 1
Neophylax Caddisfly 1
Corydalus Dobsonfly 1
Synorthocladius 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.