MBSS Site Summary for: PATL-507-X-2011

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site PATL-507-X-2011-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site PATL-507-X-2011-2 (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 3/29/2011 and again in the summer on 7/12/2011.

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 - 4.3 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Poor - 1.0 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 185,428 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 7 %
Agricultural Land Use 60 %
Forested Land Use 30.5 %


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 17/20 (Optimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 16/20 (Optimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 70 meters 		11/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 75 meters 		19/20 (Optimal)
Shading 40 %
Embeddedness 40 %
Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Optimal' at this location.


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 7.8
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		815.1 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.5505 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 22 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
River Chub 208
Northern Hogsucker 92
American Eel 55
Redbreast Sunfish 53
Rosyface Shiner 42
Longnose Dace 41
Smallmouth Bass 40
Central Stoneroller 37
Margined Madtom 36
Cutlip Minnow 31
Creek Chub 29
Satinfin Shiner 29
Spotfin Shiner 26
Rock Bass 13
Spottail Shiner 12
Common Shiner 11
Tessellated Darter 10
Bluntnose Minnow 5
Green Sunfish 5
Blue Ridge Sculpin 2
Cyprinid Hybrid 1
Swallowtail Shiner 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog
Eastern Snapping Turtle
Northern Water Snake

Crayfish:
Orconectes virilis

Exotic Plants:
Garlic Mustard
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Oriental Bittersweet
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 40
Gammarus Amphipod 28
Sympotthastia Non-Biting Midges 9
Hydrobaenus Midge 8
Diamesa Bloodworm 5
Orthocladiinae Midge 4
Clinocera Aquatic Dance Fly 3
Thienemanniella Non-Biting Midges 3
Thienemannimyia Group Non-Biting Midges 1
Dubiraphia Riffle Beetle 1
Prosimulium Black Fly 1
Chimarra Fingernet Caddisfly 1
Dolophilodes Medium Evening Sedge Caddisfly 1
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 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.