MBSS Site Summary for: PATL-504-X-2012

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site PATL-504-X-2012-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site PATL-504-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 3/27/2012 and again in the summer on 7/31/2012.

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 - 3.3 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Good - 4.0 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 191,256 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 %
Agricultural Land Use 58.8 %
Forested Land Use 30.8 %


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 15/20 (Suboptimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 16/20 (Optimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 75 meters 		16/20 (Optimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 24 meters 		16/20 (Optimal)
Shading 60 %
Embeddedness 25 %
Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Optimal' at this location.


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 7.75
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		963.8 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.863 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 25 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
White Sucker 148
Common Shiner 95
American Eel 88
Creek Chub 84
Spottail Shiner 70
Bluntnose Minnow 64
River Chub 59
Spotfin Shiner 55
Redbreast Sunfish 52
Northern Hogsucker 30
Blacknose Dace 29
Tessellated Darter 22
Cutlip Minnow 17
Swallowtail Shiner 13
Margined Madtom 10
Satinfin Shiner 7
Rosyface Shiner 6
Blue Ridge Sculpin 5
Smallmouth Bass 5
Bluegill 4
Yellow Bullhead 4
Green Sunfish 3
Banded Killifish 2
Rock Bass 2
Pumpkinseed 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Queen Snake

Crayfish:
Orconectes virilis

Exotic Plants:
Garlic Mustard
Japanese Barberry
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Hops
Japanese Knotweed
Japanese Stiltgrass
Mile-A-Minute
Multiflora Rose
Oriental Bittersweet
Wineberry
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Gammarus Amphipod 61
Maccaffertium March Brown And Cahill Mayfly 7
Perlesta 6
AMPHIPODA Scud 6
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 5
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 5
Stenelmis Beetle 4
Dubiraphia Riffle Beetle 4
Macronychus Riffle Beetle 3
Rheotanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 3
TANYTARSINI Non-Biting Midges 3
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 3
Psephenus Water Penny 2
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 2
Oulimnius Riffle Beetle 2
Simulium Black Fly 2
Clinocera Aquatic Dance Fly 2
Diplectrona Net-Spinning Caddisfly 2
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Cricotopus Non-Biting Midges 1
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 1
Nanocladius Non-Biting Midges 1
NAIDIDAE Aquatic Worm 1
Rheocricotopus Non-Biting Midges 1
HYDROPSYCHIDAE Common Netspinner Caddisfly 1
Oecetis Long-Horned Caddisfly 1
Caenis Mayfly 1
Teloganopsis Mayfly 1
Orthocladiinae Midge 1
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Ancyronyx Spider Riffle Beetle 1
EPHEMERELLIDAE Spiny Crawler Mayfly 1
Thienemanniella Non-Biting Midges 1
Hemerodromia Tiny 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.