MBSS Site Summary for: PATL-507-X-2012

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site PATL-507-X-2012-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site PATL-507-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 7/30/2012.

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 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 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 17/20 (Optimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 17/20 (Optimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 16/20 (Optimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 43 meters 		13/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 75 meters 		18/20 (Optimal)
Shading 40 %
Embeddedness 30 %
Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Optimal' at this location.


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 7.61
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		896.4 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.8079 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 19 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
River Chub 235
American Eel 78
Common Shiner 41
Longnose Dace 39
Northern Hogsucker 38
Satinfin Shiner 27
Rosyface Shiner 26
Redbreast Sunfish 25
Central Stoneroller 20
Smallmouth Bass 20
Cutlip Minnow 18
Margined Madtom 16
Spotfin Shiner 12
Spottail Shiner 11
Creek Chub 6
Tessellated Darter 6
Rock Bass 5
Yellow Bullhead 2
Blacknose Dace 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
No amphibians and reptiles noted.

Crayfish:
Orconectes virilis

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Stiltgrass
Mile-A-Minute
Oriental Bittersweet
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Gammarus Amphipod 49
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 11
Simulium Black Fly 10
Perlesta 8
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 7
Eukiefferiella Non-Biting Midges 4
Orthocladiinae Midge 4
EMPIDIDAE Dance Fly 3
Rheotanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 3
Chimarra Fingernet Caddisfly 2
Rheocricotopus Non-Biting Midges 2
Stenonema Flatheaded Mayfly 1
Maccaffertium March Brown And Cahill Mayfly 1
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Cardiocladius Non-Biting Midge 1
Corynoneura Non-Biting Midges 1
Tvetenia Non-Biting Midges 1
PERLODIDAE Perlodid Stonefly 1
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 1
Acentrella Tiny Blue-Winged Olive Mayflies 1
Potthastia 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.