MBSS Site Summary for: PATL-502-X-2016

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site PATL-502-X-2016_midpoint looking downstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site PATL-502-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 7/25/2016.

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 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 37.5 %


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 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 17/20 (Optimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 20 meters 		11/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 55 meters 		18/20 (Optimal)
Shading 30 %
Embeddedness 50 %
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 20 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
River Chub 118
American Eel 40
Redbreast Sunfish 34
Margined Madtom 10
Tessellated Darter 10
Rosyface Shiner 9
Longnose Dace 8
Common Shiner 7
Northern Hogsucker 6
Central Stoneroller 5
Smallmouth Bass 5
Swallowtail Shiner 4
Blacknose Dace 3
Creek Chub 3
Blue Ridge Sculpin 2
Cutlip Minnow 2
Banded Killifish 1
Rock Bass 1
Spottail Shiner 1
White Sucker 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Pickerel Frog

Crayfish:
No crayfish noted.

Exotic Plants:
Burning Bush
Garlic Mustard
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Maiden Grass
Multiflora Rose
Oriental Bittersweet
Privet
Tree Of Heaven
Wavyleaf Basketgrass
Wineberry
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 50
Leptoxis Freshwater Snail 15
Orthocladiinae Midge 13
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 9
Gammarus Amphipod 7
Sympotthastia Non-Biting Midges 6
Cricotopus Non-Biting Midges 4
Hydrobaenus Midge 4
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 3
Maccaffertium March Brown And Cahill Mayfly 2
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 2
Prosimulium Black Fly 2
Neophylax Caddisfly 2
Strophopteryx Early Brown Stonefly 1
Glossosoma Little Black Caddisfly 1
Simulium Black Fly 1
Penelomax 1
Leuctra  Rolled-Winged Stonefly 1
Diamesinae Non-Biting Midges 1
Cardiocladius Non-Biting Midge 1
Microcylloepus Riffle Beetle 1
Polycentropus Tube Maker Caddisfly 1
Dineutus Whirlygig Beetle 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.