MBSS Site Summary for: PATL-502-X-2017

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site PATL-502-X-2017-MidpointLookingDownstream (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site PATL-502-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 3/3/2017 and again in the summer on 6/28/2017.

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 - 3.3 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Poor - 2.7 / 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 16/20 (Optimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 16/20 (Optimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 11 meters 		10/20 (Marginal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 75 meters 		17/20 (Optimal)
Shading 50 %
Embeddedness 35 %
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 16 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Swallowtail Shiner 755
Redbreast Sunfish 143
River Chub 106
American Eel 71
Tessellated Darter 48
Longnose Dace 40
Bluntnose Minnow 30
Margined Madtom 23
Northern Hogsucker 7
Central Stoneroller 3
Sea Lamprey 3
Smallmouth Bass 3
Cutlip Minnow 1
Shield Darter 1
Satinfin Shiner
Spotfin Shiner
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Northern Water Snake
Pickerel Frog

Crayfish:
Orconectes virilis

Exotic Plants:
Crown Vetch
English Ivy
Garlic Mustard
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Hops
Japanese Knotweed
Japanese Stiltgrass
Maiden Grass
Mimosa
Multiflora Rose
Norway Maple
Oriental Bittersweet
Shrub Honeysuckle
Tree Of Heaven
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
GAMMARUS Amphipod 30
CRICOTOPUS Non-Biting Midges 23
ORTHOCLADIUS Non-Biting Midges 21
DIAMESA Bloodworm 11
HYDROPSYCHE Net-Spinning Caddisfly 8
MACCAFFERTIUM March Brown And Cahill Mayfly 4
CHIMARRA Fingernet Caddisfly 3
CHEUMATOPSYCHE Net-Spinning Caddisfly 3
TVETENIA Non-Biting Midges 2
MICROTENDIPES Non-Biting Midges 2
PSEPHENUS Water Penny 1
RHEOTANYTARSUS Non-Biting Midges 1
CARDIOCLADIUS Non-Biting Midge 1
CLADOTANYTARSUS Non-Biting Midge 1
EUKIEFFERIELLA Non-Biting Midges 1
TELOGANOPSIS Mayfly 1
ORTHOCLADIINAE Midge 1
PERLIDAE Common Stonefly 1
STROPHOPTERYX Early Brown Stonefly 1
SIMULIUM Black Fly 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.