MBSS Site Summary for: PATL-502-X-2015

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site PATL-502-X-2015_at-P-mark-looking-downstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site PATL-502-X-2015_at-P-mark-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 4/1/2015 and again in the summer on 8/11/2015.

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 Fair - 3.0 / 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 16/20 (Optimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 14/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 16/20 (Optimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 15 meters 		13/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 70 meters 		17/20 (Optimal)
Shading 40 %
Embeddedness 30 %
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 17 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
River Chub 146
Rosyface Shiner 69
American Eel 39
Northern Hogsucker 17
Longnose Dace 14
Common Shiner 8
Smallmouth Bass 7
Central Stoneroller 6
Margined Madtom 6
Satinfin Shiner 6
Tessellated Darter 5
Cutlip Minnow 3
Redbreast Sunfish 3
Spotfin Shiner 3
Blue Ridge Sculpin 2
Rock Bass 1
Yellow Bullhead 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Eastern American Toad

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
English Ivy
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Mimosa
Multiflora Rose
Oriental Bittersweet
Tree Of Heaven
Wineberry
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Gammarus Amphipod 36
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 22
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 12
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 9
Cricotopus Non-Biting Midges 6
Maccaffertium March Brown And Cahill Mayfly 3
Sympotthastia Non-Biting Midges 3
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 3
Strophopteryx Early Brown Stonefly 3
Lepidostoma Little Brown Sedge Caddisfly 2
Ameletus Combmouthed Minnow Mayfly 2
Orthocladiinae Midge 2
Microtendipes Non-Biting Midges 2
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 1
Stenacron Mayfly 1
Macronychus Riffle Beetle 1
Polycentropus Tube Maker Caddisfly 1
Psephenus Water Penny 1
Taeniopteryx Winter Stonefly 1
Perlidae Common Stonefly 1
Antocha Crane Fly 1
Prosimulium Black Fly 1
Synorthocladius 1
Chimarra Fingernet Caddisfly 1
Leptoxis Freshwater Snail 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.